Demand an end to the Newport Monster Shark Tournament and their terrorizing and useless slaughter of the New England shark population!

  • by: Atticus Hamilton
  • recipient: The Newport Monster Shark Tournament held in July of each year in New Bedford, MA

Every July in New Bedford, MA, the Newport Monster Shark Tournament starts. It is a competition to try to catch the largest Shortfin Mako, Porbeagle, and Common Thresher Shark you can. The problem with this is the fact that all of these sharks are in population decline through out the Atlantic Ocean. The Shortfin Mako shark is listed as Vulnerable and populations are decreasing according to the IUNC redlist ( http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/39341/0 ). The Porbeagle Shark is listed as Vulnerable to extinction and their populations are decreasing according to the IUNC redlist ( http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/11200/0 ). Finally, the Common Thresher Shark is listed as vulnerable, and their populations are in decline (http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/39339/0).

So why is this a problem? Well this is a problem because these sharks are an integral part of the ocean ecosystem and by removing adult sharks, the contest is removing the breeding population. Also because sharks are not like bony fish, they cannot rebound in the year between competitions because of their long gestation periods and because they take an incredibly long time to reach sexual maturity. Further, the contest hits them in the middle of their migration. Because scientists have little information on their migration patterns, the reasons for them, and the fact that their pupping grounds are not fully understood makes the process detrimental to the populations of the fished species.

There is no reason, in the 21st century, for people to physically harass and/or kill a vulnerable or endangered species. The stated reasons for the contest such as family bonding and community sportsmanship, could as easily be achieved through a photography contest!

Please join me in the fight to stop this killing of sharks and replace it with a photo contest!
Thank you for your time and support. PLEASE SIGN MY PETITION!

For more information on this activity you can visit there web page:
http://www.sharksfundfishing.com/home.html

Update #17 years ago
Special thanks to everyone who has signed my petition so far! I want to thank all of you for helping to stop this brutal practice! One other thing make sure to please send the link to your friends to help bring this issue to light, reach our 15,000 signature goal, and spread a positive change! :) Thank you to all who signed and remember "LIVE GREEN" !
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