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Posté
Mercredi 17 Septembre 2008 par Véronique
Longitude 181 Nature, and the 52 Shark Alliance NGOs, launch a new call for the conservation of sharks during the 2008 European Shark Week (11-19 october).
Most populations of European sharks and related rays are overfished : one third are threatened with extinction. We are deeply concerned for, in spite of these alarming facts, most EU shark and ray fishing remains unregulated and scientific advice for catch limits is rarely heeded.
Moreover, the EU ban on “fining” (the wasteful slicing off a shark’s fins and tossing the body at sea) is the weakest in the world.
This petition follows the « Every fin counts » campaign we have promoted during 2007 European Shark Week. Last year, we have urged EU to adopt a strong European Plan of Action for the conservation of sharks. Shark Alliance NGOs have collected more than 20 000 signatures. European commissioner Joe Borg did receive our plea. A draft Plan of Action has been set up this spring. It will be submitted in December 2008. Now we need your help to collect still more signatures to urge Member State governments to support it.
With the ongoing development of a draft Plan of Action, you have a golden opportunity to help improve the health of our shark populations and related fisheries.
We therefore urge you to ensure that the final EU Plan of Action for Sharks is science-based and applies the principle of precautionary and promptly results in :
• Meaningful restrictions on shark catch
• Protection for endangered shark and ray species
• A more effective ban on shark finning
A strong Plan of Action could reverse the current trend, to catch up with the EU shark and ray rules, and prevent further predictable depletion of these vital animals and greater harm to the ecosystems they maintain.
The choice is upon us and time is running out...
- Download Summary of Shark Alliance Position on the CPOA(PDF 0.1Mo)
- Download Shark Alert Report (PDF 1.7Mo)
More information on : www.sharkalliance.org
Please return completed forms before October 19, 2008 to :
Shark Alliance - Care of The Pew Environment Group - Level 21
Bastion Tower – 5 Place du Champ de Mars - 1050 Brussels - BELGIUM
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