Two Sharks Nearly Died, Wrapped Up in Abandoned Fishing Lines, Until Heroes Rescued Them

Abandoned fishing lines in the Indian Ocean almost killed two sharks off the coast of the Maldives. In fact, both marine animals would be dead, if it weren't for an heroic rescue by three divers who happened to spot them.

Sign the petition to demand stronger international collaboration to prevent these near-catastrophes!

The three people had been late to their diving location that morning, but that turned out to be a stroke of luck. Because when they arrived, they discovered two sharks that had been completely wrapped up and entangled in abandoned fishing equipment. The animals were suffocating to death. One shark had already collapsed onto the bottom of the seabed, not moving, while the other was floating eerily mid-way through the water. In just a few more minutes, both animals would have died.

The divers carefully approached the two sharks, and working together, they were able to get up close to the giant fish and cut them out of their rope-traps. Both sharks ultimately survived and swam back into the open ocean where they belong!

We're incredibly grateful to these three brave divers who dared to help these dying, embattled sharks. But this situation should never have occurred in the first place. Leaving abandoned gear and trash in the water hurts wildlife - sometimes they get caught in it and die from immobility; sometimes it injures them; sometimes they eat it, dying more slowly but no less painfully.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Marine Debris Program has recorded that upwards of 350 different species have been discovered trapped in marine trash, especially old fishing equipment like old lines and ghost nets. Already, intentional over-fishing is destroying marine ecosystems. We don't need abandoned fishing gear adding to this problem.

Nations in and surrounding the Indian Ocean must work together to protect the future of marine wildlife. Sign the petition to demand that nations create coordinated international penalties for abandoned fishing gear, in order to keep sharks and other species safe!