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Image source: Encyclopedia Brittanicas Advocacy for Animals

Saving Sharks in the Maldives - La Morte Del Miyaru

Target:
Mr Abdulla, Minister for Environment, Energy & Water, Republic of Maldives
Sponsored by: 

Shark fishing in the Maldives is a reality but a terrible tragedy to a country that prides itself on housing exceptional oceanic and coral reef biodiversity. It is this biodiversity that brings thousands of tourists to its pristine shores every year; visitors whom are the backbone of economic development for the country. Yet, the number of sharks in these waters are rapidly decreasing day by day. In 2002, customs in the Maldives declared the export of over 18,000kg of shark fin products alone to foreign countries such as Hong Kong, where shark fin soup is considered a delicacy, and the demand for this prestigious product continues to increase exponentially as the wealthy middle class in China grows annually. In the Maldives, local fisherman are paid the equivalent of $8USD per kilo for the product which sells for up to $400USD per bowl in Hong Kong resteraunts. Not only are the Maldivian people being raped of one of the most precious, beautiful and ecologically important resources the country has, they are being ripped off royally for the priviledge.

The purpose of this petition is to raise support for the banning of shark fishing and finning in the Maldives. Whilst you have been reading this entry, approximately 200 sharks have been killed worldwide, and that is assuming you are a fast reader.

Shark fishing and finning is STILL LEGAL in the Maldives, despite the fact that they play an integral role in economic development through tourism, as well as the vitally important role they play in controlling the ocean ecosystem. 

Please take the time to sign this online petition to Mr Abdulla, Minister for Environment proposing a on ban shark fishing in the Maldives, including the sale and export of shark products internationally.

Shark fishing in the Maldives is a reality but a terrible tragedy to a country that prides itself on housing exceptional oceanic and coral reef biodiversity. It is this biodiversity that brings thousands of tourists to its pristine shores every year; visitors whom are the backbone of economic development for the country. Yet, the number of sharks in these waters are rapidly decreasing day by day. In 2002, customs in the Maldives declared the export of over 18,000kg of shark fin products alone to foreign countries such as Hong Kong, where shark fin soup is considered a delicacy, and the demand for this prestigious product continues to increase exponentially as the wealthy middle class in China grows annually. In the Maldives, local fisherman are paid the equivalent of $8USD per kilo for the product which sells for up to $400USD per bowl in Hong Kong resteraunts. Not only are the Maldivian people being raped of one of the most precious, beautiful and ecologically important resources the country has, they are being ripped off royally for the priviledge.

The purpose of this petition is to raise support for the banning of shark fishing and finning in the Maldives. Whilst you have been reading this entry, approximately 200 sharks have been killed worldwide, and that is assuming you are a fast reader.

Shark fishing and finning is STILL LEGAL in the Maldives, despite the fact that they play an integral role in economic development through tourism, as well as the vitally important role they play in controlling the ocean ecosystem. 

Please take the time to sign this online petition to Mr Abdulla, Minister for Environment proposing a on ban shark fishing in the Maldives, including the sale and export of shark products internationally.

We the undersigned urge your support for the prohibition of shark fishing in the Maldives, as well as the sale and export of shark products locally and internationally.

Shark fishing in the Maldives is a reality but a terrible tragedy to a country that prides itself on housing exceptional oceanic and coral reef biodiversity. It is this biodiversity that brings thousands of tourists to its pristine shores every year; visitors whom are the backbone of economic development for the country. Yet, the number of sharks in these waters are rapidly decreasing day by day. In 2002, customs in the Maldives declared the export of over 18,000kg of shark fin products alone to foreign countries such as Hong Kong, where shark fin soup is considered a delicacy, and the demand for this %u2018prestigious%u2019 product continues to increase exponentially as the wealthy middle class in China grows annually. In the Maldives, local fisherman are paid the equivalent of $8USD per kilo for the product which sells for up to $400USD per bowl in Hong Kong resteraunts. Not only are the Maldivian people being raped of one of the most precious, beautiful and ecologically important resources the country has, they are being ripped off royally for the privilege.

Saving these creatures will not only have a remarkable effect on the sustainability and functioning of the local environment, but will place the Maldives in the spotlight as a leader in international conservation.

We ask for your support and leadership in this urgent matter, and trust that you will make a positive step towards securing the economic and environmental future of the country by saving sharks in the Maldives.
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We signed the "Saving Sharks in the Maldives - La Morte Del Miyaru" petition!
# 498:
7:54 am PDT, Aug 17, Kevin Donnelly, Australia
shark fishing is not an act of love.

no

# 497:
12:03 am PDT, Aug 17, Diane McCarthy, Illinois
# 496:
6:44 pm PDT, Aug 13, Susan Halloran, Virginia
# 495:
8:14 pm PDT, Aug 12, Luke Adams, Australia
# 494:
10:13 am PDT, Aug 10, T Hoekstra, Netherlands
# 493:
6:50 pm PDT, Aug 8, Andrée Hussard, France
# 492:
11:45 am PDT, Aug 7, Elisabeth Karcher, France
# 491:
6:54 am PDT, Aug 7, Sarah Manthey, Ohio
# 490:
8:46 pm PDT, Aug 6, Erin Maher, Illinois
Almost all species of sharks are endangered, this is NOT right, we need to save these amazing creatures. Please HELP!
# 489:
2:12 pm PDT, Aug 6, Lynne Levine, New York
# 488:
12:23 am PDT, Aug 5, Mateja Zerjal, Slovenia
# 487:
7:20 pm PDT, Aug 4, Hector Sanchez, Honduras
We, humans, are just another specie traveling in our 'planet earth spaceship' so we better not interfere with our cohabitants. We, as thinking specie, should asure the others survival, not being selfish.

I do not live in the maldives and i am not interested in became a local but of course i will support as foreign.

# 486:
11:24 am PDT, Aug 4, Heather Wolf, Washington
This is deplorable and please stop this from happening immediately. I can not see how any human being could do such atrocious things to an animal in the name of a delicacy, this is cruel, dreadful, and wasteful. I can't begin to imagine the pain and suffering these animals feel. Please stop this from continuing.
# 485:
5:17 am PDT, Aug 3, Stephanie Lessard, New Hampshire
# 484:
4:10 am PDT, Aug 3, Naomi Dutch, California
# 483:
2:31 am PDT, Aug 3, Veronica Lach, Romania
# 482:
2:01 am PDT, Aug 3, Sean Noyes, Finland
# 481:
12:58 am PDT, Aug 3, Annekatrin Stiehl, Maldives
# 480:
10:33 pm PDT, Aug 2, Maria Oniga, Romania
# 479:
8:27 pm PDT, Aug 2, Jacinthe Vigneault, Canada
# 478:
2:31 pm PDT, Aug 2, Evert Jan Klein Velderman, Netherlands
# 477:
6:58 pm PDT, Jul 31, Helen Forsythe, United Kingdom
# 476:
7:15 am PDT, Jul 31, Alan Daly, United Kingdom
# 475:
9:36 pm PDT, Jul 30, Andi A, New York
# 474:
2:35 pm PDT, Jul 30, Estella Moore, Colorado
# 473:
8:42 am PDT, Jul 30, Tabitha Langston, Texas
This is a true travesty. I hope this brings awareness.
# 472:
8:07 am PDT, Jul 30, Katya Rodriguez, Guatemala
# 471:
4:06 am PDT, Jul 30, Mara Restelli, Italy
# 470:
3:03 am PDT, Jul 30, Mary Hamilton, Virginia
# 469:
2:28 am PDT, Jul 30, Elisabetta Bernardini, Belgium
# 468:
1:52 am PDT, Jul 30, Naomi Growden, Maldives
As I am a diver and work in the Maldives- sharks are fascinating and beautiful creatures who are very important to the healht of the marine eco system and the health of the Maldivian economy.

Yes

# 467:
1:48 am PDT, Jul 30, Giovanna Bernardini, Italy
The Maldives are always in my heart: I took my University Degree in Science with a work on the coral recovery after the 1998 bleaching. I lived in Rangali, working as 'marine biologist' of the Resort, DiveMaster and Dive Instructor for more than 2 years.

Idon't live in the Maldives anymore.

# 466:
1:08 am PDT, Jul 30, Name not displayed, Italy
I'm a diver and love and respect the nature. It is silly and not necessary eating shark fins, is a tragedy that must stop!!!!

Yes, i do leave in the Maldives, please forward me more info. Thank you.

# 465:
9:51 pm PDT, Jul 29, Name not displayed, Honduras
Stop this barbarism! We need to start protecting fragile ecosystems which sharks are an important part of.
# 464:
3:13 pm PDT, Jul 29, Name not displayed, Virginia
# 463:
2:45 pm PDT, Jul 29, Name not displayed, Honduras
I feel that we need to start making sure our ecosystem and nature in general is taken car off by our people. The world is ours and we need to take care of it. This is why I feel we need to avoid killing animals that keep the balance of ecosystems around the world. We need to work together wih the animals in order to preserve our natural richness.
# 462:
4:29 am PDT, Jul 29, Kinga Marcelle, Australia
# 461:
1:06 am PDT, Jul 27, Jason Bowman, California
# 460:
3:30 pm PDT, Jul 25, Sacha Bruyn, Australia
# 459:
2:29 pm PDT, Jul 25, Brian Neely, Missouri
# 458:
6:22 am PDT, Jul 25, Name not displayed, Australia
I am a marine biologist and keen diver and interested in marine conservation, particularly of large high order predators such as sharks in order to keep our marine ecosystems balanced.

No I do not reside in the Maldives

# 457:
2:21 am PDT, Jul 25, Scott Blanch, Australia
Sharks are critically endangered, with population numbers down up to 95% since the 1970's for some species! The killing of sharks, and especially the horrible method of finning, needs to be banned all over the world!
# 456:
1:44 am PDT, Jul 25, Marjon Phur, Australia
# 455:
12:29 am PDT, Jul 25, Catherine Ellis, Australia
# 454:
12:11 am PDT, Jul 25, Rebecca Henderson, Australia
Shark fining is painful for the shark, is a waste of life as the fins are not a necessity and with the decline in shark numbers it MUST be stopped. No If, Buts or maybe's.

No I am in Australia

# 453:
5:42 am PDT, Jul 24, Andreas Anders, Germany
# 452:
3:24 am PDT, Jul 24, Name not displayed, Belgium
# 451:
8:56 am PDT, Jul 23, Besqueut Julien, France
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