Floridians depend on the ocean. And we understand. It's in your blood.
Florida's waters weave themselves into the daily life of most who call this state home and with so much to offer, it's easy to understand why. In addition to supporting recreation, fishing and the local economy, the oceans are home to a diverse array of life. But we cannot keep taking without giving back. Suffering from overfishing, pollution and climate change, the oceans are in trouble and they need our help. One species that has been hit hardest by these devastating issues, especially off the coast of Florida, is sharks. Although sharks have been on this planet for more than 400 million years, their numbers are now plummeting, and the consequences are yet to be fully understood. Luckily, the sunshine state has started to recognize how vital shark conservation is to protecting ocean life. Just recently, the state's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted to add protections for several sharks, including tiger and scalloped hammerheads. For ocean advocates like us, this is great news. But there's still work to be done. Florida should follow in the footsteps of other states like Maryland, Virginia and Illinois, and implement a ban on the shark fin trade. Shark finning involves the cruel and destructive practice of cutting off a shark's fins while its body is often thrown overboard where it is left to die. Did you know that it's currently legal in Florida to sell, possess and distribute shark fins? This needs to change. Floridians know how important the oceans are to the health of their community, and with more than 1,100 miles of coastline to its name, Florida has an opportunity to live up to its reputation in protecting sharks and the ocean ecosystems they call home. If you're as passionate about saving sharks and protecting the waters they live in as we are, then join us at Oceana's inaugural 'SeaBlue' event at W Fort Lauderdale on March 3. Only through working together can we help ensure that future generations inherit healthy oceans. Visit www.seablueevent.org to learn more about this exciting event. Help save sharks. Help save the oceans.
rose
It sure has helped out their employee's booze cruise capabilities!
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the homeless and those dependent on government programs for survival.
He does like corporations and the wealthy and gives them tax breaks.
I mean, I agree in principle, but this is like item # 721 on a list of 1500 things this country and world need to do in order to survive right now.
Apex predators, such as sharks, tuna, orcas, dolphins, tigers, lions and wolves have dramatic effects on the well-being of their given ecosystems well beyond what most people would expect. WE NEED THEM! The populations of all major apex predators are at dangerously low levels.
All around the planet, both on land and water our ecosystems are in major collapse with populations of the most important animal declining by over 90% in just a few decades. Some shark species such as at least one hammerhead have declined by 99% and there may only be a few thousand great white sharks left.
For a couple of examples of how important apex predators are check out the documentary Lords of Nature: http://lordsofnature.org/
Like this? Stopping sharks from being definned? Yay or nay. Cruel, unusual, unnecessary, and not a significant industry? Obviously a yay.
We all are responsible for the declining populations around the world and we all need to alter our ways, but the negative impact of the Chinese is in a category unto itself.
For what we deem important.
And this will show the chinese WHAT?????
LOL
Thats why they still consider westerners as barbarians.
This will also add stupid to that.
Require swimmers to wear sun screen flavored like Ketchup.
Seriously, what kind of jerk wants to protect man eaters? According to NOAA, sharks only attack people if confused. If that were true it would be impossible to explain the hundreds of men killed in single shark frenzies several times in WWII. The fact is these creatures rarely eat people only because we eat them first. Why stop that?
No, we don't want to kill all the sharks, but we need to kill enough so they fear man.
of her sharks? If you enjoy oxygen, fresh water, food and life, you adore sharks. You exist only because of Earth's natural and wild ecosystems, the alpha and the omega, the beginning of all life and the salvation of planet Earth. The shark is biodiversity, a strand in the web of all life, a creator and life community member of all marine ecosystems or the living, physical body of planet Earth, every and all reasons you breathe!
When it comes to all life, including yours, which includes every reason man exists, it is inextricably interconnected to Earth's ecosystems, and all ecosystems are all, inextricably interconnected to their biodiversity or native species of plants and animals, just like the shark, your best friend in the eco--nomy of all life...
There's a difference between what you suggest and what is actually happening. And, just for the record, not all environmentalists are created equal so you can stop generalizing.
This isn't specifically about ending the reign of man or prohibiting us from doing anything; it's about conservation and balance. Protecting animals from going extinct for no good reason.
Taking fins and putting them in soup that isn't even that good for the sole purpose of expressing how 'wealthy' you are is not a good reason, especially since the entire process is cruel and unusual. Even if you think that's all bleeding heart nonsense, consider it from a different standpoint. It's inefficient and a waste of money. You take a fin and throw away the rest of the shark to die? A whole god damn shark? It's a waste. An then shark fin soup can easily run you a couple hundred dollars. Try it some time. You will find that it is basically glorified and exaggerated chicken soup. You could make chicken soup and lie and call it shark in soup and I assure you most people would not notice. So it's a waste of money for something you only enjoy once.