Big fish needs big help: Canada's most endangered marine fish needs legal protection

Until December 30, 2008, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is consulting with Canadians as to whether to legally protect basking sharks in Canada's Pacific waters under Canada's Species at Risk Act (SARA). Basking sharks are the second biggest fish in the world, measuring up to 12 meters. These fish were historically found in British Columbia numbering in the thousands and were once described as being "common" and "abundant" in our waters. Unfortunately the combination of a directed fishery, entanglement in fishing gears, and an eradication program sponsored by the federal government between 1955 and 1969 has largely eliminated this species from our waters. Confirmed sightings of basking sharks in Canada's Pacific waters are presently less than one per year. It is Canada's most endangered marine fish.

Canada has a very poor track record with respect to legally protecting marine fish species under the Species at Risk Act. The case for legally protecting basking shark is so strong that a failure to do so would set a horrible precedent.

Don't delay, take action today! For a sample letter, click here.

In 2009, we are calling for a boycott of The Bay until it stops selling fur. As Canadians, we have a right to demand that The Bay become the environmentally and socially responsible company it markets itself to be.

Don't delay, take action today!

3 Important Action Alerts – Act Now to to Protect Sharks
We have a small window to act. So please sign the petition today!
[Info Courtesy of Shark Savers]

(1) Stop Palau from opening up shark fisheries – sign online petition now:
To sign, copy & paste the following link in your browser:
http://www.sharksavers.org/en/get-involved/sign-these-petitions/542-petition-to-palau-stop-senate-bill-8-44-on-shark-fishing.html

(2) Ban shark fishing in the Maldives – sign online petition:
To sign, copy & paste the following link in your browser:
http://www.sharksavers.org/en/get-involved/sign-these-petitions/407-petition-to-the-maldives-for-banning-shark-fishing.html

(3) Help stop Shark kill fishing tournament to be held in Fort Myers:
http://www.areyoumanenoughsharkchallenge.com/
A shark fishing tournament is being held in Fort Myers, where all participants are allowed to bring in one dead shark to be weighed in.

Other than the obvious problems, this procedure promotes killing of the largest and likely sexually mature sharks. Also, since each team is only allowed to bring in one dead shark to be weighed, this promotes each catching and killing sharks such that at the end of the tournament, each team only keep the biggest one to be weighed in, while discarding the rest.

Please write to the tournament organizers to stop this event and/or turn it into an ALL catch and release tournament:

Contact:
Snug Harbor Waterfront restaurant – (239) 463-8077; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it