Yahoo Kills Sharks

The Rob Stewart/Sharkwater PR machine appears to finally be bringing this issue to the forefront of the mainstream media. The same day Stewart appeared on the TODAY show, KABC -- the ABC affiliate in Los Angeles -- ran a long story about the plight of sharks, mentioning, among other things, Yahoo's stake in shark finning. For those of you who don't know, Yahoo has a 40-percent stake in Alibaba.com, the largest broker of the sale of shark fins on the Internet. In other words, Yahoo has a direct stake in the slaughter of millions of sharks. So, if you use Yahoo Mail or some other Yahoo product, you have an indirect connection to shark finning. If this bothers you, stop using Yahoo, and/or send a message to Yahoo's management telling them how you feel. A Yahoo spokesperson minimized the issue, saying that the controversy surrounding the issue of shark finning amounted to "cultural differences." Which makes it clear they have no concept (or don't care) how truly threatened sharks are.

[Read full KABC story here]

Taiwan to Ban Whale Shark Trade

Products derived from whale sharks will no longer be on sale in Taiwan because of a ban taking effect on Wednesday.

Whale shark meat is considered a delicacy in Taiwan and Southeast Asia. However, the whale shark is listed in the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Taiwan's Council of Agriculture has announced that no further fishing of the whale shark will be allowed from next year.

Under the current ban, fishermen are obliged to return caught whale sharks to the ocean, whether the fish is dead or alive. Violators may face imprisonment or a fine.

[Original story from Radio Taiwan Intl.]

Sand Kills More People Than Sharks

Yes, it's true... sand kills more people than sharks. Although more people have died since 1990 by being buried alive in beach holes than killed by sharks, the media is not likely to bombard you with sensational headlines and news flashes next time a child digs a hole in beach sand, falls in and gets buried alive. Drama sells, and let's face it... a shark attack is more dramatic than a hole in the sand. Does that make you angry? Then combat the media prejudice by telling everyone you know how threatened sharks are, and how much more of a threat humans are to sharks than vice versa.

And don't wait till the next shark attack makes headlines. Tell people now.

Bluefin tuna quotas doubled

Despite a high-visibility cover story in National Geographic this spring about the precarious future of bluefin tuna populations in the Mediterranean, as well as rock-solid scientific evidence and recommendations supporting a drastic reduction in quotas, the EU voted to increase quotas to twice the level that scientists say the populations can support. See full story.

If you're a sushi eater and still consume tuna (maguro and toro), please stop. And, with all overfishing-related issues we care about here (not just sharks), please help spread the word.