|
|
Introducing the Shark Alliance
|
|
Last summer, a small number of NGOs dedicated to science-based conservation of sharks founded the Shark Alliance. The Shark Alliance now has over 30 member groups in 12 countries.
|
|
| The mission of the Shark Alliance is two-fold: |
|
To close loopholes in European policy regarding the wasteful and unsustainable practice of shark finning;
|
|
|
To secure responsible, science-based shark fishing limits for long-term sustainability and ecosystem health.
|
|
|
|
Shark Alliance makes waves throughout Europe
|
Since its inception, the Shark Alliance has already made a number of outstanding contributions to improving European shark conservation policy. To name three key achievements,
|
|
won EU support for German proposal to list spiny dogfish and porbeagle on Appendix 2 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in December 2006.
|
|
|
won a crucial resolution in the EU Parliament in September 2006 that calls on EU Commission to close loopholes in EU finning regulation and establish a shark Plan of Action.
|
|
|
secured a statement by EU Fisheries Commissioner Borg in September 2006 that he will produce a shark plan, but not before 2008.
|
|
The Shark Alliance has also coordinated with local scientists and NGOs to spotlight the plight of sharks at events in the UK, Germany, Italy and France, hosting successful media events and NGO receptions that sparked tremendous press coverage as well as new alliances among shark conservationists and decision makers.
Shark Alliance member groups across Europe continue work to support Germany's proposals to list spiny dogfish and porbeagle sharks under CITES in the run up to the CITES meeting in the Hague in June.
|
|
|
At an aquarium near you this summer
|
Look out for the Shark Trust's displays at aquaria around Europe this summer. Kicking off in May in the UK, where 4.5 million people visit aquaria each year, the project will tour 12 countries including Germany, Sweden, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal and Poland before continuing to the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland and Greece later in the summer.
For a full list of venues, visit the Shark Trust website. If you can't make it to any of the aquaria, you can still join the on-line community campaigning for an end to shark finning and sign the on-line petition.
|
|
|
From our members
|
|
Here are just a few highlights from the many recent activities held by Shark Alliance members.
|
Thousands demand action to strengthen EU shark finning ban
28 Mar 2007
Shark Alliance member Coral Reef Care presented EU Commissioner Joe Borg with a petition signed by over 3000 Dutch divers demanding that the EU's 2003 Shark Regulation banning shark finning is strengthened.
|
Shark Alliance at LIDS
14 Mar 2007
The Shark Alliance was present at the London International Dive Show. Shark Trust's stand was well attended with many people interested in the plight of the world's sharks and signing up to the Shark Trust petition to protest against shark finning.
|
Vulnerable basking sharks disappearing from the Med
12 Mar 2007
Simona Clò and Eleonora de Sabata of Shark Alliance members CTS and MedSharks respectively, presented the findings of their joint research into twenty rare basking sharks that appeared off the coast of Sardinia last winter, at Italian dive show Big Blu.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A film examining the greatest threats to sharks and their relationship to the oceans and coral reefs. View the trailer
|
|
|
