Shark Finning

Shark Finning The silent decimation of our marine ecosystem

Why Sharks?•Misconceptions – where they come from•Some facts on sharks•Statistics•Marine food cycle•Equilibrium in the food cycle•Consequences of overfishing top predators

•Shark finning•What it is, what it does•How we can stop it

Common Misconceptions

Bloodthirsty Evil People-Eaters Stupid Aggressive

Basic Facts on SharksCartilaginous fishApex PredatorsPelagic (migratory) and coastalSlow growth rate: late to matureLong life span and high survival rateFew offspringSenses – Electroreception and Lateral Line

Shark Attack Statistics 2008 (Worldwide -GSAF)

98 confirmed attacks (7 unconfirmed) 7 were provoked by the victim 10 fatalities 8 boat attacks (no injuries)

World Health Organisation Cause of Death Statistics (yearly)

Starvation: 13-18 million Cardiovascular disease: 15 million AIDS: 2.4-3.3 million Motor Vehicle Accidents: 1.2 million Childbirth (mothers): 500,000Obesity: 300,000 Death by stairs: 5,500 Death by lightning: 1,100 Common cold: 700 Death by lawn mower: 600

Sharks: 5-10 (GSAF stats)

1957

Early 1980’s

2007Photo courtesy of Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Key West Charter Boats Trophy Fish in:

So with what we know about sharks, what is going to happen to our

environment if we wipe them out?

Shark Finning: What happens?

What can we do to stop it?•Raise Awareness:• Educate and Inform – the best thing we

can do!•Boycott• If a business sells it, don’t support that

business•Write to your MP/Senator/Representative• Show your concern through petitions,

letters, emails, phone calls to change legislation

•Sign petitions to ban shark finning • www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/34

526563• www.stopsharkfinning.net/petitions/htm• Many others abound, check the

internet!

Shark Fin dealers in Auckland

Grand Harbour Chinese Restaurant (Viaduct)Enjoy Inn Chinese Restaurant (Great South Rd, Greenlane)Dragon Boat Chinese Restaurant (Elliot Street, Auckland Central)KK Malaysian Restaurant (Robert Street, Ellerslie)Sunshine Chinese Restaurant (Viaduct)Jolin Shanghai Restaurant (Dominion Rd, Mt Eden)Ming Court (Sky City)Grand Park Chinese Seafood Restaurant (Alexandra Park, Epsom)Dynasty Chinese Restaurant (Wakefield Street, Auckland Central)Hees Garden Seafood Restaurant (Mt Eden Rd, Balmoral)Rendezvous Hotels Ding How Chinese Restaurant (Albert St, Auckland Central)China Restaurant & Bar (Beach Rd, Auckland Central)Auckland Fish Market (some of their suppliers sell shark fin)Pearl Garden (Teed Street, Newmarket)New Orient Restaurant (Strand Arcade, Auckland Central)**Happy Valley Hong Kong Style Café (Newmarket)

**serves imitation Shark Fin

DOC Contact InformationHon Tim Groser, Minister of

Conservation P:(04) 817 6811

Email: [email protected]

Hon Kate Wilkinson, Associate Minister of Conservation

P: (04) 817 6819 Email: [email protected]

ReferencesProject AWARE (www.projectaware.org)

Commercial Fishing Methods, 2006, Current Publishing CorporationWorld Wildlife Fund International (www.panda.org)

Pelagic Shark Research Foundation (www.pelagic.org)Shark Research Institute (www.sharks.org)

Global Shark Attack File (www.sharkatackfile.net)IUCN Red List of Endangered Species (www.iucnredlist.org)

Texas A&M University Department of Oceanography (http://oceanworld.tamu.edu)

Florida Museum of Natural History (www.flmnh.ufl.edu) ICUN Shark Specialist Group – The World Conservation Union, Malaga, Spain (

www.iucn.org)Sharkwater (www.sharkwater.com)

Shark Alliance (www.sharkalliance.org)World Health Organisation (www.who.int)

Shark Trust (www.sharktrust.org) IUCN Species Survival Commission – “Sharks and their Relatives: Ecology and

Conservation”, 1998 IUCN. Merry Camhi, Sarah Fowler, John Musick, Amie Brautigam and Sonja Fordham

Photography and MediaThanks to the following organisations, individuals and companies for the use of the media used in this presentation:Disney Les Weldon Rob Stewart - SharkwaterShark AllianceGlobal Shark Attack FileIUCNTexas A & M UniversitySea ShepherdFlorida Museum of Natural HistoryMonterey Bay AquariumDive New ZealandNational GeographicProject AWARESeafood WATCH

Remember, we can make a difference.

Silver Bishop 021 581 211shark research