photo courtesy of TreeHuggers
This post is a response to a tweet I read from Shark Defenders, asking for bloggers to post about their combined initiative with South Pacific Projects. I was more than happy to oblige.
This is a subject I have been aware of for some time, without ever really knowing the complete magnitude of the problem.
Sharks have roamed the oceans for millions of years. They’ve outlasted the dinosaurs and survived several mass extinction periods throughout the earth’s history. They are the ultimate predator, regulating ocean ecosystems and providing a balance that is essential not just for aquatic life, but for the entire planet.
The oceans are the lungs of the planet. And sharks are fundamental to healthy oceans. To quote Capt Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd ‘If the oceans die, we die. We cannot live on this planet with a dead ocean.’
But sharks are under threat. This apex predator of the seas has become the hunted. It is estimated that up to 78 million sharks are killed each year (some figures even suggest 100 million), a number fuelled primarily by the consumption of sharkfin soup.
If, like me, you find these figures absolutely bewildering, please lend your support to these two causes. We have to do everything we can to protect the planet’s remaining sharks, and the oceans we count upon for our own survival.
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South Pacific Projects (SPP) and The Sea Life London Aquarium have lent their support to the Fiji Shark Sanctuary campaign that aims to stop the trade in shark products and hopefully protect sharks from the increasing threat of shark-finning in Fijian waters. Please visit the website and add your name to the pledge
Blurred Worlds 
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Reblogged this on Ann Novek–With the Sky as the Ceiling and the Heart Outdoors and commented:
Sign Pledge!
Thanks for the reblog, Ann!
Hi Darren,
Great blog… I love what you named it, makes me sink inwards and outwards at the same time as I read it… As without so within, as within so without… perfect!
And I like the links for people to follow up and get positively active… I have a link you might want to check out and write about as a continuation of your plastic inevitable post… http://plasticpollutioncoalition.org/
I came across the organisation from a TED talk (they have links to their TED talks on the site), and they have some great pro-active stuff, including the concept of ‘plastic free towns’. Luckily the town in which my husband and I live is becoming plastic free soon… I’m sure it takes a lot of pressure and campaigning to get there, but with local communities becoming more alive and connected these days… anything is possible!
Amanda
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for stopping by, and for your kind words.
It’s great that your town is aware of this problem and aiming to become plastic free. I don’t think it’s fully understood the damage that plastic is doing to the world.
Thanks for the link. The good news is there seems to be lots of ‘switched on’ people in the blogosphere, and on twitter. I definitely think there’s loads more to be written about on the subject, and if town’s like yours – and the Plastic Pollution Coalition – are coming up with solutions it can only help to chip away at the problem.
Darren
To many people think “oh, I can’t make a difference” but everyone counts.. and it all adds up. So just do it!! Good article, good link. Peace, Tony
Hi Tony,
Thanks for the comment. You’re right, it does seem to be a mentality that “I can’t possibly make a difference on my own…” and if everyone thought like that they wouldn’t. I think social media is starting to buck this trend, though, and I’ve certainly found loads of dedicated people trying to make a difference, both here on WordPress and on Twitter.
Reblogged this on Mark Boylan Diary.
Reblogged this on Our Endangered Planet and it's Wildlife..
Good one, Darren. It’s so important to make people aware of these things…a lot of people don’t think it matters to them, when in fact it matters to all of us….let’s hope we can make a difference!
Thanks, Louise. We can but try! The wonderful thing about sites like this, and Twitter, is that it gives people a voice. Who knows…if we all shout loud enough, maybe we’ll be heard?
🙂
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