Once again,
Hawaii is on the frontlines of shark protection. In
2010, the state banned the "possession, sale, trade, and
distribution of shark fins." And now, after years of
hard work by environmentalists and animal rights groups,
shark fishing is officially banned in Hawaiian
waters! This crucial step will help protect some of our
sea's most impressive predators, and the ecosystems in
which they play a vital role. But we can't stop
there -- ocean conservation knows no state
lines.
It is more
important now than ever that sharks are protected by
law. According to a recent study,
global shark populations have plummeted since
1970, falling by over 70%. Worse yet, of
the oceanic species examined in study, 24
of 31 shark and ray species are now threatened with
extinction. Three of those sharks are in such
dramatic decline that they are classified as critically
endangered, the highest category of threatened species
offered by the International Union for Conservation of
Nature. We must sound the alarm on
protecting these sharks before it is too
late!
Conservation can be complex,
given the many factors that contribute to a particular
species decline. But with sharks, the
answer is simple: stop fishing them. Scientists
have repeatedly found overfishing to be a primary cause
of species decline, so why are states still allowing
sharks to be fished in their waters? If
Florida cares about the health of their oceans, the
state legislature must act now to ensure sharks are
protected and follow Hawaii's lead. Sign the petition now to
demand shark fishing be banned in
Florida!
