Help Give Sharks A Fighting Chance

Project AWARE Foundation and AWARE divers worldwide are outraged at the results of the recent Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), held in Qatar in March. Proposals to restrict trade in eight shark species - spiny dogfish, porbeagle, oceanic whitetip, scalloped hammerhead, great hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, dusky and sandbar sharks - failed to receive the required two-thirds vote majority, representing victory for narrow, short-term economic interests over science and the myriad long-term benefits of conservation.

Despite international setbacks at CITES 2010, sharks have recently received historic, national protections in Europe, Palau and Maldives thanks to support from divers and advocates like you.

Don't let CITES failures predict the future for severely depleted shark populations. AWARE divers worldwide are joining together here, to declare our concern. Project AWARE will deliver your signature, demanding better shark protection to CITES Party representatives.

More info...

Our oceans in general are starting to show signs of an extinction level event, or ELE, due to the human activities such as over fishing, pollution, and warming water temperatures. The experts agree that sharks, rays, manta's, whales, and in fact all high order marine life, if things don't change, will only eventually only exist in our memories. They will be something we can tell our grandchildren about. Most people are not aware of the extent of the damage. Marine ecosystems are our planets life blood, and without them there would be no planet, and no life.

Please read this if you are interested in not killing the worlds oceans and thus the rest of life on Earth. (I would think that is everyone)

Salt-Water Fish Extinction Seen By 2048

Study By Ecologists, Economists Predicts Collapse of World Ocean Ecology

"This isn't predicted to happen. This is happening now," Nicola Beaumont, PhD, of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, U.K.,

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/02/health/webmd/main2147223.shtml

Deep sea fish face extinction

"Shark populations have nosedived in the North Atlantic, by 90% in 15 years."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/jan/05/biodiversity.fishing

You can help. Start by signing this petition.

http://www.projectaware.org/petition/index.php

I used to work on a pristine no-fishing reef in Australia. Diving in Thailand I am amazed by how few large fish there are, the fishing pressure is amazing, even in the (ahem) "national parks".

Sad truth is, not enough people with power care about sharks. 400 million years of perfection, wiped out by stupid greedy selfish humans. It's very sad. As is the fate of other fish species, and the other problems the oceans face. Thanks for posting the link to the petition.