Support the Big Shark Shout Out project

This week (October 15 – 23) is all about sharks. PADI’s project AWARE is organising the Big Shark Shout Out to ask attention for shark protection. Nearly 1 out of 5 shark species is threatened with extinction. Shark are victim of overexploitation, including targeted fishing, bycatch and finning. Finning is cruel and wasteful because after the fin is removed, the still alive shark is discarded. Unfortunately the high demand for shark fins, the main ingredient in the Asian delicacy shark fin soup, means that this practice continues. Each year tens of millions of sharks are killed by its number 1 enemy: humans!

Shark populations are pushed to the brink, but sharks are vital to the health and balance of our ocean environments. Project AWARE is trying to gain the attention of policymakers worldwide to do something about overfishing. The organisation is closing loopholes in existing global shark management policies and insisting on full protections for endangered and critically endangered sharks This week divers around the world will rally to protect sharks before it’s too late and have a collective voice.

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED If you are serious about shark protection you can sign the PADI project AWARE petition and urge your friends and colleagues to do the same. Nearly 80,000 people already signed up. Time is running out for sharks, so act now!

Sign this petition online (for people of 18 years and older)

Signing the petition will help asking global leaders to fully protect shark species listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered by the IUCN, limit the number of sharks fished and stop shark finning, among other things.

How do you feel about shark finning and overfishing? Shout out! Post your comments below, or join the discussion on our Facebook wall.