The annual Martha’s Vineyard Monster Shark Tournament will take place from 19th – 21st July this year. The competition, described by organisers as, “world-class sport fishing, fine dining and excitement for all” is seen by many as a grotesque and cruel event that should be banned.
While the shark competition itself does not endanger the population of the species, what it stands for symbolically, encourages the killing of sharks.
Sharks have experienced a sharp decrease in numbers in recent years due to over-fishing. They are a keystone species and as apex predators they help to maintain the critical balance of the ocean ecosystem. Their elimination has a detrimental effect on the food chain and a healthy shark population leads to higher numbers of fish.
Furthermore, sharks are struggling to overcome attacks on their population as they are slow to mature and produce few offspring.
We must put a stop to this blatant display of cruelty to animals.
We the undersigned are calling for an end to the annual Monster Shark Tournament in Martha’s Vineyard for the following reasons:
> Sharks, as apex predators, help to maintain the critical balance in the ocean.
> The number of fish in the oceans rises proportionately to the rise in shark numbers.
> The elimination of sharks can have a negative impact on the food chain and can lead to the degradation of coral reefs.
> Shark populations around the world are plummeting and they are slow to overcome these decreases to their populations (because they mature slowly and produce few offspring).
As a critical part of the ocean’s ecosystem this inhumane practice of shark hunting should be halted.
Thank you for your attention.
