Global people’s petition for sharks

Sharks are finally getting the acknowledgement they need. Ever since the Jaws movies, sharks have had it rough (trust me, I know… I’ve watched enough Shark Weeks to know!). One year that my family went to Florida, my dad and one of my brothers got t-shirts with an image of a great white shark and the words “we’re not bad, we’re just sadly misunderstood” and it’s so true. It’s been proven that sharks mistake humans for seals and don’t even like the taste of human meat (that’s why so often they just bite someone’s arm/leg and the person is able to get away). WildAid has a global pledge that you can sign to help sharks. Just click the image above and it’ll take you to it.

I wrote about shark finning a while back and it’s so great to read about more steps that are being taken in the right direction. If you’re from California, you can be part of history. California is currently debating whether or not to ban shark fins from being sold. You can write your Assembly member and/or Senator and let them know you’d like California to ban shark fins. Thank you!

(Image clickable straight to source: WildAid.org)

Comments

Misty :)
24 March 2011 - 1:47 am

I signed the petition!!! I do have a question though. If it is illegal in the U.S. for shark finning, how is California getting ahold of the shark fins to sell? I mean, they can’t go cut off the fins and then put the sharks back into the water. So thats not an option. Are they killing the sharks just to get the fins then?

Alena
24 March 2011 - 2:59 am

Great post. This too makes me very sad and I hope CA bans selling fins. Although, I must admit, I’m scared to go into the ocean because of them, but I love nothing more than watching documentaries on them. I’m equally intrigued and scared 🙂

Eva
24 March 2011 - 10:59 am

Misty – In Europe it’s illegal to test on animals for cosmetics, but it’s legal to sell imported cosmetics that have been tested. It’s like that everywhere for many things. Just because they’re not killing the sharks in the US, doesn’t mean they’re not bringing in a ton from elsewhere where it is still legal.
That’s what shark finning is: cutting off the fins and tossing the dead bodies back into the water.

Alena – I remember being scared of going into the water in Florida, ha! And one time, I actually almost fell off a pier into water that had a bullshark (said to be quite aggressive). It was badly designed or somethin’ because how else did a little kid almost have that happen? But yes… I feel the same. I may be frightened, but that doesn’t mean I want to kill them! I wish it were the same for everyone.

Zoya
24 March 2011 - 11:22 am

Amen to that!!!! A great cause, good on you for spreading the word!

Lauren
25 March 2011 - 10:04 am

I signed the pledge! Thanks for posting this.
(And to anyone who hasn’t seen my recommendation already: Watch the documentary “Sharkwater”!)
Aww, I want that t-shirt! :[

mina
25 March 2011 - 11:36 pm

poor sharks. i don’t know if you saw the post we did about the shark cage diving issue: http://www.sending-postcards.com/2010/05/shark-cage-diving.html

thanks for sharing the link for the petition.





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