Our oceans are facing many issues, but shark finning is one that we cannot afford to ignore any longer, our sharks are disappearing and 1/3 of open water sharks are facing extinction. Shark Finning has been illegal in Canada since 1994 but the shark fin trade is still ongoing, and we must stop the importation of shark fins in Richmond to keep our city eco conscious and allow our ecosystems to regenerate. Sharks are essential for life on earth because they create a balance in the ocean, without them, fish would eat all plankton and we would lose 50% of our oxygen.
Many restaurants still serve shark fin soup, and this must stop to live in a healthy environment for us, and generations to come. Shark Finning is a horrible practice where the sharks have their fins sliced off and their bodies dumped overboard, where they slowly die or get eaten by other predators. Luckily an alternative was found, and the soup can be made with synthetic substance without having to kill 100 000 000 sharks a year to make a soup which the fins only give a texture too.
An analysis of shark fins from Florida waters found high concentrations of BMAA, a neurotoxin that has been linked to Alzheimer's and Lou Gehrig's disease. The importation of shark fins should be banned in Richmond to protect its citizens from such health problems but also to preserve shark species.
A bill was introduced and is now in the Senate to ban all importation of shark fins in Canada and if everyone contacts their local representative and ask them to support Bill S-238, we could win and have this bill go to the house of commons and perhaps make this a reality. We ask that each city and province join us in this fight.
Help me make Richmond, BC, Fin Free.
Actualizar #2hace 6 años
I have been in contact with a reporter from Richmond News interested in writing a story about this petition and the story behind it. I will also publlish an article online on Dr Priems popular environmental websites, this might help us reach a larger audience.
If you know reporters or people that could help us, please send me an email.
Thank you for all your support.
Melanie
Actualizar #1hace 6 años
Hi everyone,
Thank you so much for supporting this cause. I am contacting the media to get them to share my story. If I get positive feedback, I will send you more updates on everything but until then, please talk about this petition and Bill S-238 to your friends and family. Let's make this go viral and show our government that citizens in Richmond care about our oceans and sharks. You guys are the best!
Melanie
