Truemors
Palau pioneers 'shark sanctuary' | Photo 04 
WELCOME to Palau Shark Sanctuary
• Palau Shark Sanctuary was founded in 2001 in an effort to end the annihilation of Palau's sharks as a result of rampant shark-finning at the hands of foreign long-line fishing vessels licensed by Palau to fish in their waters. Palau Shark Sanctuary seeks a declaration by Palau establishing the waters of Palau's Exclusive Economic Zone as a sanctuary for all sharks.
•"Shark-finning" is the process of catching sharks, cutting off their fins and throwing the rest of the fish, still alive, back into the ocean to die. Sharks drown because they cannot swim without fins. The fins are prized throughout Asia for use in sharks fin soup and supposed medicines.
• Then Palau President Mr. Tommy E. Remengesau Jr., became a key supporter of the efforts of Palau Shark Sanctuary and in May 2003 he publicly set fire to shark fins found aboard a foreign vessel caught fishing illegally in Palau waters; in September 2003 he signed in to law some of the toughest anti-shark-finning legislation in the world.
In 2004, President Remengesau received an award from Sharkproject naming Palau as Shark Guardian of the Year.
• Through education and awareness programmes, lobbying and active public relations Palau Shark Sanctuary supports international efforts to end shark-finning.
For the latest information on Palau Shark Sanctuary click here for our Blog: http://sharksanctuary.blogspot.com
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| © Gunther Deichmann |
| PALAU SHARK SANCTUARY www.sharksanctuary.com/  |
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (3)
at 14:55 on November 5th, 2009
Good News For Sharks - If They Live in Palau
Palau pioneers 'shark sanctuary'
at 05:57 on November 8th, 2009
Help save sharks by spreading the word.
In the true-life documentary Sharkwater, director and biologist Rob Stewart sets out on a journey through 15 countries over five years, documenting the plight of our oceans through the eyes of one of the world's most misunderstood creatures, the shark.
As species of sharks are becoming extinct due to poaching, you can do your part by telling your friends to see Sharkwater and pass on the message that sharks are not man-eating monster and need our help!
Save the sharks, save the world.
Forward this email on to ten of you friends, or better still ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS and let them know they can help by seeing Sharkwater and spreading the word.
For more information, please visit www.sharkwater.com
at 13:19 on November 15th, 2009
Watch the
Shark Angels Video
Alison Kock, Julie Andersen, Kim McCoy
Sea Shepherd has long been committed to shark conservation, and in 2007 it took this commitment to an even higher level by co-founding the Shark Angels alliance. The Shark Angels' first project is a short film with the goal of personalizing sharks in a way that will help to bridge the gap in human understanding, resulting in a call to action to save sharks.
The Shark Angels alliance-consisting of Kim McCoy, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Director; Julie Andersen, Shark Savers Director; and Alison Kock, Save Our Seas Foundation Head Field Biologist-hopes that this short film will help to open the hearts and minds of the public and increase awareness of the plight of sharks and their struggle for survival as a species.
Shark Angels underwater filming session
Alison Kock, Julie Andersen, Kim McCoy
An underlying goal of this project is to capture the Shark Angels interacting with sharks in a way that will show a softer side and build on the work that Rob Stewart has already begun with his award-winning film, Sharkwater. In doing so, McCoy, Andersen, and Kock hope to bridge the gap in human understanding and alter the public perception of a horribly misunderstood species, resulting in a call to action.
"Sharks are being killed for the vanity of humanity," said Sea Shepherd Director Kurt Lieber who joined the Shark Angels team on this expedition. "The Asian market demand for shark fin soup is driving many populations of sharks to the brink of extinction. The Shark Angels project is one way to raise the awareness of the plight of the sharks, and anyone who sees it will come away feeling as I do, understanding that the hype that Hollywood and pop-culture has bestowed on sharks is not based in reality. Sharks are top predators in the ocean, and just like wolves, they have a place in the wild that no other animal fills. They are gorgeous, graceful, curious animals that need our help to assure that they survive this shortsighted assault on their ability to exist. The Shark Angels project has great potential to have people see for themselves how misunderstood these animals are."
With 100 million sharks being ruthlessly killed each year, there are not enough Sea Shepherds in the world to defend them against human greed and exploitation. By working together rather than duplicating one another's efforts, the Shark Angels alliance maximizes the use of limited resources and enables each arm-scientific research, education, and enforcement-to focus exclusively on its respective area of expertise. Recognizing the value inherent in a diversity of shark conservation approaches, the Shark Angels aim to make this issue accessible to the public and inspire people to demand the protection of sharks on a governmental level.
"Sharks have inhabited our planet for 450 million years, since before the time of dinosaurs. If we are able to not only help people understand the vital role sharks play in ecosystems and the impact this has on all species, including humans, but also to dispel the myth that sharks are ruthless man-eaters, I will consider this project a success," said McCoy.
Sea Shepherd, celebrating over 30 years of marine wildlife conservation, is proud to be a member of the Shark Angels alliance and remains strongly committed to increasing the protection of sharks and their habitats worldwide.
Below are some preliminary images from the expedition.
Jim Abernethy, Kim McCoy,
Rob Stewart, Kurt Lieber
back: Jim Abernethy, Rob Stewart;
front: Alison Kock, Julie Andersen, Kim McCoy
back: Kurt Lieber, Eric Cheng, Shawn Heinrichs,
Jim Abernethy, Rob Stewart, Rob,
Christopher Chin, Wade, Don;
front: Julie Andersen, Kim McCoy, Alison Kock
© All photos Copyright Eric Cheng
P.O. Box 2616, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
(USA) Tel: 360-370-5650 Fax: 360-370-5651
All contents copyright ©2009 Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
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