Environment

Sharks are asking for help, but we don't hear their plea

by altrugon | September 24, 2008 at 02:49 pm

238 views | 32 Recommendations | 10 comments

Almost everybody knows the famous Chinese dish shark fin soup, however what not everybody know is the cruel and dark story that is hidden behind this dish.

Rob Stewart, a Canadian born and raised in Toronto, has dedicated his life to save these creatures. His documentary Sharkwater, winner of 26 international awards, show us how little we know about these animals and how they are persecuted and killed just for their fins.

In the fight against illegal fishing and the big mafias that support this techniques, Rob Stewart has launch now a new project "Protect Cocos Island - World Heritage" and is asking for your help.

Cocos is remote and expensive to visit, only accessible via a 36 hour boat crossing. In the past this distance protected it from development and fishing. But as our seas become more depleted, fishermen turn to Cocos to fish illegally. Isolation makes it difficult for the authorities to enforce current laws. CR has a strong cultural history of fishing, and few CR citizens have visited the island and are unaware of its importance and beauty, as a result protection laws are unpopular

Visit his site, visit the project Cocos Island's site, watch the movie sharkwate; you will see that sharks are not like in the Jaw movie.

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Jarrett Martineau

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:01 on September 24th, 2008

altrugon, thanks for this. I really want to see Sharkwater - and his new project sounds fascinating too. Good stuff.

altrugon

at 15:18 on September 24th, 2008

Thanks for the flag Jarrett, and I totally recommend you his movie.

I lost the opportunity to see him in person when he came to Vancouver and he was giving autograph in the HMV at Burrad and Robson, and everything because I didn't know who he was or what he was doing :_(

amyjudd

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:25 on September 24th, 2008

altrugon, I like this story. It's good stuff.

I'm not sure I could ever watch the film, but it sounds like such a great cause to support.

dunkelberg

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:43 on September 24th, 2008

Problem is that the fins fetch good prices and it's hard to get subsistence fishermen to turn it down. On the Texas gulf coast, some made extra beer money by taking sharks, slicing their fins and throwing their carcasses back into the waters.

altrugon

at 16:05 on September 24th, 2008

The reason is always the same... money!

Whales, baby seals, elephants, rhinos, etc. All of them species in danger that have been persecuted and haunted for several years to the point of extermination.

While there are poor people in this planet that need to eat, and rich people with money that can "bend" the law, the haunt will continue. Only when save the planet become a profitable business we'll be safe.