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Overview This section reviews the current threats facing sharks globally and provides specific information to support shark conservation efforts. Saving JawsOver 100, 000, 000 sharks are slaughtered annually, at a rate of over 270, 000 per day. Sharks are being targeted for sport, caught for their fins and jaws, killed in anti-shark nets, as by-catch, their habitat is being degraded as well as polluted, and humans continue to over-exploit their food sources. Shark populations are particularly vulnerable to this exploitation due to inherent life history characteristics which feature a pattern of slow growth, late maturity, long gestation, low fecundity (reproductive output) and long life, resulting in a slow intrinsic rate of population increase. As a result, shark populations worldwide are drastically declining. In the Atlantic alone, shark populations have decreased between 60 and 90 percent depending on species, in just the last 15 years! Sharks have inhabited our oceans for over 400 million years and in just two decades of human over-exploitation, are now threatened. The long term effects of shark declines from their communities is unknown, but likely far reaching as sharks are ecologically important components in virtually every marine habitat. 
In the immediate years following the 1975 epic release of JAWS the general public felt that 'every good shark was a dead shark,' however in the thirty years that have followed, this mentality has changed. People are starting to realize the importance of sharks in the marine ecosystem. Moreover, many people now regard the oceans as more beautiful for including such awesome animals. Increasing numbers of people are coming to appreciate that sharks add to the diversity, mystery and excitement of our oceans. Ultimately, to save Jaws, international commercial shark fishing will need to come under shared international regulations adopted by all countries fishing as well as finning and by-catch will need to stop. With this being said, you can help shark conservation efforts by boycotting the sale of shark parts and products, by encouraging others to do the same and by supporting shark education and research. Every person can make a difference and with your efforts, sharks will survive to play their ecological roles in the oceans as well as continue to amaze and inspire.
Sources of Shark Mortality:
Test your shark conservation knowledge! Play the Numbers Game (Flash Player 6 Required. Game appears in new pop-up window)
What YOU Can Do To Save Jaws You can help shark conservation efforts by boycotting the sale of shark parts and products, by encouraging others to do the same and by supporting shark education and research. Every person can make a difference. The combined efforts of people have resulted in shark fin soup being removed from restaurant menus, major credit card promotions and even airline menus. Through petitions and letter writing campaigns governments have put regulations in place to protect sharks, shark kill fishing tournaments have been cancelled and aquariums have stopped exhibiting endangered shark species. (See People Have the Power: A Shark Success Story). Below you will find links to PDFs notifying you of immediate shark conservation campaigns and Action Alerts which you can take part in. To sign up for future Action Alert notifications, please enter you email in the provided text box below. People Have the Power: A Shark Success Story  In May 2005, Disney announced that shark fin soup will be available for business dinners, special events, and weddings at Hong Kong Disneyland, opening September 2005. Many organizations formally requested that Disney remove shark fins from their menus, but Disney refused:
As the general public became aware of the issue, public email and letter writing campaigns were initiated independently through dive clubs, elementary schools, universities and conservation organizations. After a month of constant bombardment Disney executives finally backed down on June 24, 2005, agreeing to remove shark fin soup from its menus. The "official" reason given that Disney could not find a "sustainable" source for shark fins - however, Disney executives clearly felt the pressure from the thousands of emails, letters, and phone calls it was receiving as well as the escalating calls for a boycott from the general public. For more information on the issue visit: CloserToFree.org
To receive further action alerts, submit your email above. Below please find links to current action alerts, online anti-finning petitions as well as information and education packages about things you can do to promote shark conservation.
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Millions of sharks slaughtered
annually! 
By-catch refers to unintentional catch. Many sharks are
unintentionally caught on commercial fishing long-lines targeting
tuna and/or swordfish. Long-lining
is the most common form of commercial fishing for tuna and swordfish
in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. It involves a single
fishing line that can extend up to 60 miles (100 kilometers), which
dangles thousands of baited hooks waiting for a fish to bite. However,
this type of fishing gear is indiscriminate and the hooks kill anything
that bites, like turtles, birds, seals, dolphins and sharks. 1.4
billion long-line hooks are set a year and the unintentional catch
of sharks (by-catch) is the largest threat to their populations globally. For
example, between 1997 and 1998, 450, 000 blue sharks alone were taken
by the tuna long-line fishery in New Zealand. 
More
than half of the world's population lives within approximately
100 km of the ocean and as such, coastal areas are being degraded
at an alarming rate affecting the species that rely on these
areas for their survival. Many sharks utilize inshore lagoons
or mangroves in tropical areas as nursery grounds. Pregnant
females come to these sites to give birth and juvenile sharks find
protection in these sheltered areas. As coastal development
increases, more of these areas are being degraded. The best
spot for most tropical hotels are these sheltered lagoon or mangrove
areas vital to successful shark recruitment and survival. Inevitably
the hotel is built and the shark nursery grounds are destroyed.
For example, in Bimini, Bahamas, construction has begun on the
first phase of a mega-resort, including condominiums, a casino,
and golf course. If allowed to proceed, the complex will consume
the mangroves of the North Sound and East Bimini, together with
all of the animals and plants that live there. The location where
construction is planned is a particularly important nursery ground
for lemon sharks. 
For more information and to help conserve this area see Bimini Action Alert
| Educational Materials | Anti-Finning Petitions |
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Neil4Sharks Educational Programs Shark Research Institute Educational Materials
Shark Alliance Conservation & Education Materials
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| Further Online Resources |
Action Alerts |
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Donate to Save Sharks ñ Save The Blue
Visit SaveTheBlue.org
to donate and help save sharks!
Save the Blue is a nonprofit organization that undertakes and support campaigns necessary for advancing public understanding of and solutions for water conservation issues.
Save the Blueís current campaign is to stop shark finning by supporting cutting-edge shark research and education projects. Save the Blue is currently support work being conducted by scientists across the globe that tackle the shark fin issue from several key angles including human health, shark forensics, education and fisheries.
Donate to Save the Blue to save sharks and in return for your tax deductible donation you will receive our special custom-made tribal shark pendant designed exclusively by Tribal Son.
