Blue Sharks Of Hawaii ~ Sad Reality
by Katie Grove-Velasquez, Writer, Marine Animal Researcher, Photographer, Educator, and Lecturer Working in the Hawaiian Islands, Zoo and Aquarium Visitor
Fishing globally is taking our shark populations down at a rapid rate, even in Hawaii. According to Gerald Crow, who wrote Sharks & Rays of Hawaii, thousands of sharks lose their lives every year to the fishing industry and show up in the marketplace. Sharks are not a protected specie in Hawaii and many other places worldwide. According to the IUCN, over 50% of the global shark species are critically endangered.
According to researchers, if this fishing industry is allowed to continue, in addition to the finning industry, which takes over 100 MILLION sharks annually, our oceans have less than 100 years before they collapse. If this is true, we are all in dire trouble. In Hawaii alone, from 1991 to 1999, nearly 900,000 sharks were killed for the marketplace. These were mostly blue,mako and thresher sharks. The style of fishing was long-lining, which is famous for indiscriminate taking of turtles, marine mammals, and many others.
What do we do? First, we need to all educate ourselves. Go to reliable websites and become armed with information. Boycott restaurants that serve shark fin soup, and tell them why. Physically go in to the restaurant, check the menu, and tell the management you will return when that item is removed, and walk out. Write letters to your local newspapers. Blog about it. Protest in your area and ceaselessly put pressure to pass laws for shark protection. Our children, our future depends on it. The time is now.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Blue Sharks Of Hawaii - Sad Reality
Blue sharks are the most commonly fished shark for shark fin soup. Because they have populations all over the world, it is widely thought that they are not affected by the massive scale of shark fishing and finning but it's not true!
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long-line,
sharks fin soup
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- January Jones is scared FOR sharks
- Project AWARE Foundation Securing Shark Protection
- Korean vessels fined for illegal fishing
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- A new international push to save dwindling shark p...
- Whale shark rescued by Cagayan fisherfolk
- Say, 'No', to shark fin soup
- Whale sharks all closely related, says study
- Texas lawmakers OK mercury warnings
- Rally against shark fin trade opens in Singapore
- Save the whale shark. And say a prayer
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- Satisfying your taste buds in China
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- MEGAMOUTH SHARK: Ultra-Rare Shark Found, Eaten
- Shark fin out of vogue among young Asians
- Shark-fin traders thrive in UAE
- Tesco Gains Shark Fin Conscience
- Asian demand behind falling shark populations
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- Low Genetic Differentiation across Three Major Oce...
- Man fined R1.5m for shark fins
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