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Sharks Murdered for Ego and Bragging Rights

Sarasota, Florida May 15-17, 2009
The despicable act of killing sharks for no reason came to the shores of Sarasota Florida in this annual ego stroke. The Sarasota Shark Tournament sees entrants fish and kill sharks for nothing more than a trophy and bragging rights.

In our opinion this is even LOWER than the shark fin trade because this sharks are completely wasted. 100% of their bodies are discarded once they are weighed.

Oceanic Defense will form a page on Facebook and create a petition to get the organizers of this barbaric tournament to cease the useless killing of a species in danger.

If you are interested in signing our petition please visit our page:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/sarasota-shark-tournament/

Join us on Face Book:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=871615706&ref=profile#/group.php?gid=43644118201


Photo by: Todd

Canadian Politicians Sink to All-Time Low

It has come to our attention (thanks Marlene) that in the wake of an overwhelming vote by the EU to ban all Canadian Seal Products that federal officials continue to swing their political hakapiks suggesting that our Olympians wear seal products to support their country and its "heritage" during the 2010 winter games in Vancouver.

The image above is the results from a poll that is running on CKNW Vancouver. There is a resounding 85% vote against the proposed plan.

Cast your vote by going here: http://www.cknw.com/ and look on the right hand side of the homepage for the poll. You can vote once every 24 hours.

VICTORY FOR SEALS!

EU parliament bans Canadian seal products

STRASBOURG (AFP) — The European Parliament voted on Tuesday to endorse an EU ban on products derived from seals in protest at hunting methods despite threats from Canada to complain to the World Trade Organization.

The move, backed by much of the European public and animal rights groups, was approved by 550 votes to 49 against at the parliament in Strasbourg. The ban will enter force for the next commercial seal hunt season in 2010.

The decision to ban products derived from seal hunting, especially pelts, comes on the eve of a visit to Prague by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to launch free trade talks with the European Union.

The Canadian government maintains that the 350-year-old hunt is crucial for some 6,000 North Atlantic fishermen who rely on it for up to 35 percent of their total annual income.

Ottawa authorized the slaughter of 338,000 seals this year, insisting the hunt does not threaten the species. But a slump in pelt prices has meant fewer hunters on ice floes off Canada's Atlantic coast.

Canada hopes that requiring training for sealers on how to humanely slaughter seals, legislating standards for seal products and taking measures to safeguard the species will silence critics of the hunt.

The EU is Canada's second-largest trading partner.

"After many years of campaigning by European citizens I welcome the regulation which bans seal products from entering or being traded in the European Union," EU Environment Stavros Dimas said in a statement.

"By upholding the highest standards the new legislation addresses EU citizens' concerns with regard to the cruel hunting methods of seals," he said.

The commission said the new measure, already endorsed by EU nations and the bloc's executive body, would eliminate disparate national rules and consolidate the fragmented European market in seal products.

But it underlined it would allow trade in seal products derived from hunts traditionally conducted by Inuit and other indigenous communities and which contribute to their subsistence.

Call for fishing ban in a third of oceans

A third of the world's oceans must be closed to fishing if depleted stocks are to recover, scientists and conservation groups have warned. Such a measure could "set the clock back 200 years" and reverse the decline in fish populations, after which responsible fisheries management could regenerate the industry.

Callum Roberts, Professor of Marine Conservation at the University of York, has reviewed 100 scientific papers identifying the scale of closure needed. "All are leaning in a similar direction," he says, "which is that 20 to 40% of the sea should be protected." Friends of the Earth, the Marine Conservation Society and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds all support the idea of a 30% closure. "What we would see is a flourishing of life," Roberts says. "In 20 years, we could get to a point where a lot of species are in a far more productive state."

The proposal comes in the wake of a green paper calling for radical reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, which EU ministers admit has failed. It reveals that 88% of EU stocks are overfished (against a global average of 25%) while 30% are "outside safe biological limits" – meaning they cannot reproduce as normal because the parenting population is too depleted. In the North Sea, 93% of cod are fished before they have had a chance to breed.

The European Commission suggests a reduction in fleet size and a dramatic cut in fishing effort among its raft of measures, but Roberts believes these will not work without the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). "Just cutting fishing effort is not enough," he says. "If we are ever going to have sustainable fisheries, MPA networks are an essential, indispensable part of any rational management package."

In Iceland, Canada and the US, the creation of MPAs has "brought real increases in fish populations and real recovery of seabed habitats", Roberts says. "Populations of exploited species have increased five-, 10- or even 20-fold within five, 10 or 20 years."

The most convincing example is New England, where stocks of ground fish were "in a dreadful state" in the 1990s. Off Georges Bank, an area of nearly 20,000 square kilometres – a quarter of the fishing grounds – was closed to vessels, and fishing effort was reduced by "a draconian 50 per cent". In the past 10 years, Roberts says, there has been "a spectacular recovery" of key economic species.

As stocks within MPAs recover, the eggs and larvae of fish are carried on ocean currents to fishing grounds, Roberts explains. This helps replenish commercial fisheries. Fish also leave the protected areas, emigrating to places where they can be harvested legally.

Off Lundy Island in Devon, one of only three No-Take Zones (similar to MPAs) in British waters, the lobster population is eight times higher within the reserve. "We have already seen benefits in the lobster fishery immediately outside it," says Giles Bartlett, fisheries policy officer at the environmental charity WWF. In the Isle of Man, where a No-Take Zone for scallops has been created, "there have been significant increases in catches on the boundary of the reserve", he adds. "There, a limited size of reserve is supporting the whole fishery. If you scale those reserves up, you are going to see similar results for demersal [bottom-dwelling] fish stocks. We feel European seas would benefit from this kind of management."

The fishing industry is less convinced, saying pressure on stocks just outside a protected area can "mitigate against the impact" of the MPA. "It almost creates a bull's-eye for fishermen, who know the area on the periphery isn't protected," says Tom Rossiter, research and development manager at Seafish, the UK seafood industry body. "If you shut off an MPA, it will move the fishing effort somewhere else."

Phil MacMullen, head of environment at Seafish, says a distinction must be made between MPAs created to conserve habitats and biodiversity, and those created for fisheries management purposes. "If you are very lucky, you may find an area designated for conservation also gives you fisheries benefits," he says, but the likelihood is low. Seasonal closures at spawning times, and around specific areas such as nursery grounds, are already used effectively by fishermen.

Currently, there are 4,000 MPAs covering just 0.8% of the world's oceans. New Zealand has already closed 30 per cent of its Exclusive Economic Zone – offshore fishing grounds – to trawlers and Australia is considering a similar move. Under the Marine Bill, the UK Government has committed to designating a coherent network of new Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) by 2012, though there is no mention of a percentage target.

Article originally appeared in The UK Observer. by: Andrew Purvis

EU nations agree! Ban on seal products coming!

By Pete Harrison

BRUSSELS, April 24 (Reuters) - European ambassadors approved a European Union plan to ban imports of furs and other products from culled seals on Friday, moving the 27-nation bloc one step closer to a trade clash with Norway and Canada.

Both seal-hunting nations have warned the EU in recent weeks that they could challenge the EU ban at the World Trade Organization, the global trade watchdog, if it takes shape as currently foreseen.

"Nothing should now stand in the way of this ban being adopted," said an official from the EU's Czech presidency, which brokered a deal this week that will exclude hunts by Inuits.

"It needs to go before the European Parliament in May, but that should be a formality because parliament negotiators have already agreed to it informally," the official added.

Canada, Greenland and Namibia account for around 60 percent of the 900,000 seals hunted each year. The rest are killed in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Britain and the United States.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere wrote to EU trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton this month arguing that the ban broke the principle of free trade and set a dangerous precedent on the harvesting of renewable resources.

An official said the Commission believed the plan was "legally sound".

The 15 seal species now hunted are not endangered but European politicians demanded action after finding what they said was evidence that many are skinned while still conscious.

The animals are usually first shot or bludgeoned over the head with a spiked club known as a hakapik.

Russia banned the hunting of baby harp seals last month, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called it a "bloody industry".

A European Food Safety Authority report last year highlighted various causes of unnecessary suffering, such as trapping seals underwater where they drown.

It recommended that seals first be shot or clubbed and then monitored to check they are dead before being bled and skinned, to ensure they never regain consciousness during the process. (Editing by Louise Ireland)

Plans to protect sharks set to receive backing

EU fisheries ministers are next week expected to back plans to protect endangered sharks. At a meeting in Luxembourg (23-24 April) ministers will be invited to endorse measures to stop overfishing of sharks and follow the international conservation plans that the EU has already signed up to.

They will also discuss an EU shark action plan that was published by the European Commission in January.

One-third of shark species in European waters are threatened, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Sonja Fordham of the Shark Alliance, a coalition of conservation groups, described the Commission's plan as encouraging, but noted that “it is just a plan, it is not binding”.

She said the priority should be toughening up the implementation of the EU ban on shark ‘finning', the practice of catching a shark, cutting off its fins and throwing it back into the sea to die.

originally posted here: http://www.sharktrust.org/content.asp?did=32651

Shame!! - Canada Opens 2009 Seal Hunt

CHARLOTTETOWN, Canada, March 23, 2009
It is that time of year again when Canada is thrust into the international spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Canada's commercial seal hunt is the largest hunt for marine mammals in the world. Sealers are allowed to kill 280,000 harp seal pups this year, provided they have begun to molt their white coats, which occurs when the animals are about two weeks old.



This image above is that of a harp seal with its skull crushed by the clubs the hunters first swing to immobilize the seal. The hunters then skin the seal on the pristine white snow. It has been well documented that some of these seal pups are STILL ALIVE when the hunters begin to hack and slice their skin off then leave them to finally die a ravaged inhumane death.

We here at Oceanic Defence are embarrassed to be Canadians and call on all citizens of the world to ban ALL CANADIAN PRODUCTS until Stephen Harper outlaws this barbaric hunt. We are hoping Canada follows Russia's recent ban.

CLICK HERE HELP STOP THE HUNT. SUPPORT THE HARP SEAL BILL

To learn more about IFAW's efforts to end the Canadian commercial seal hunt, visit www.stopthesealhunt.org | www.ifaw.org

Craig Clasen - A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words

Have you ever heard that expression a picture is worth a 1000 words. Well we thought we would supply you with two sources - both from Clasen and his roving band of shark hunters.

1) a quote directly from Clasen's mouth. 2) the photo they took shortly after brutally killing the Tiger Shark.

Read the quote above, read it again. Now look at Clasen's eyes and notice the remorseful smile. Do you see the "remorse" he professes to the media? Neither do we. Looks like one frame away from chest thumping to this editor.

We'll continue to expose this shame and push for publicity.

Shame on all involved.

Over the coming days we will speak to shark behaviorists and prove that this event was completely premeditated or at the very least opportunistic.

One other point. After being "so devastated" by the events leading up to the death of the shark the men report that they then filleted the shark and ate it shisimi style.

Self-defense or Brutal Attack?

For the past few days we have been hearing all kinds of buzz about Craig Clasen, the spear fisherman that was allegedly attacked by a tiger shark while spear fishing.

While tiger sharks can be aggressive they will give you plenty of warning that you are in danger.

Clasen and his crew may have pushed their luck and turned this event into a publicity stunt. And as a result you may have seen them on the Today Show where that news program promoted it with a sensational title: "man vs. shark".

The brutal mutilation of the shark and the "trophy-style pictures" that were taken of Clasen and the various body parts of that beautiful shark are overwhelmingly stomach turning. To us, this picture is not that of a traumatized free diver that he professes, look at his face...proud. Disgusting. Hopefully, the footage and still pictures taken during this barbaric acts can be used prosecute all the parties involved.

End of the Line - The Health of Our Oceans

As more and more stories are published about the over fishing of a non-sustainable shark trade a new movie is about to be released that will unequivocally show that we are destroying our planet from land to sea. The End of the Line is a movie made by concerned citizens of the world who investigate the depletion of fish stocks and the devastating affect it will have on us as a species.

Children are our future: Meet Martina and Luly

I found this beautiful video on YouTube from a young girl named Martina and her whale Luly. She addresses Captain Toyama of the Nisshin Maru. Martina, at her very early age sees a future with whales and wants to turn the "research" into a whale watching excursion.

Watch her wonderful video here:

Dive into Google Ocean

Google launches an updated version of Google Earth that includes oceanic 3D underwater terrain as well as historical imagery. With this new addition to the software, you can spot shipwrecks as you wander the ocean floor. As you cruise around, you can also view videos and stills from content partners like National Geographic and videos from the archives of Jacques Cousteau. Another new feature in 5.0 is historical imagery: By activating a time slider, it's possible to see newer and older satellite imagery from around the globe.

Shark March Hits West Coast

Our Friends at Shark Safe up in San Francisco are preparing for their own Shark March scheduled as a two day event from January 25-26. Shark Safe is looking for volunteers to participate in the two day celebration of the International Year of the Shark. This protest is an educational event. Come out and learn something about these magnificent kings and queens of the sea.

For more information and to get involved visit their blog.

Shark Safe has assembled a growing list of San Francisco based restaurants that serve shark products. Call each and everyone of these establishments and politely ask them to remove any shark related products from their website.

1. A-1 Cafe Restaurant 779 Clay St (415) 398-3691
2. Broadway Dim Sum Cafe 684 Broadway (415) 989-2038
3. Capital Restaurant 839 Clay St (415) 397-6269
4. Cathay House 718 California St (415) 982-3388
5. Chinatown Restaurant 744 Washington St (415) 392-7958
6. Chung King Restaurant 606 Jackson St (415) 986-3899
7. Empress Of China 838 Grant Ave (415) 434-1345
8. Far East Cafe 631 Grant Ave (415) 982-3245
9. Four Seas Restaurant 731 Grant Ave (415) 989-8188
10. Garden Restaurant The 716 Kearny St (415) 956-2480
11. Gold Mountain Restaurant 644 Broadway (415) 296-7733
12. Grand Palace Restaurant 950 Grant Ave (415) 982-3705
13. Great Eastern Restaurant 649 Jackson St (415) 986-2500
14. Great Oriental Restaurant 848 Washington St (415) 398-3691
15. Hong Kong Clay Pot City Restaurant 960 Grant Ave (415) 989-2638
16. Hunan Homes Restaurant 622 Jackson St (415) 982-2844
17. Kam Lok Restaurant 834 Washington St (415) 421-8102
18. Kan's Restaurant 708 Grant Ave (415) 362-5267
19. Lichee Garden Restaurant 1416 Powell St (415) 397-2290
20. Ming Seafood Garden 839 Kearny St (415) 956-7868
21. New Hong Kong Menu 667 Commercial St (415) 391-3677
22. New Woey Loy Goey Restaurant 699 Jackson St (415) 399-0733
23. Ocean Pearl Restaurant 781 Broadway (415) 397-5799
24. Oriental Pearl Restaurant 760 Clay St (415) 433-1817
25. Pearl City Seafood Restaurant 641 Jackson St (415) 398-8383
26. R & G Lounge 631 Kearny St (415) 982-7877
27. Sam Lok Restaurant 655 Jackson St (415) 981-8988
28. Silver Restaurant 737 Washington St (415) 434-4998
29. Yee's Restaurant 1131 Grant Ave (415) 576-1818
30. Young's Cafe 601 Kearny St (415) 397-3455

Here's another list they have recently released:
http://sharksafe.blogspot.com/2009/01/30-more-shark-fin-soup-restaurants-in.html

Congratulations to our friends at Shark Safe. Together we can ALL make a difference!

Planet in Peril: Shark Fining

Hopefully, with the coverage of CNN's Planet in Peril series we will start to see more attention given to the crisis of our ecosystem.

Whale watching from shore? Volunteering may be just for you

Original Story: Los Angeles Times:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/01/imagine-yoursel.html

Imagine yourself propped in a chair with one or two others atop the Palos Verdes Peninsula, gazing out over the windswept Pacific. It has become wintry and cold and there are no other people around, and no boats on the water.

Then it happens: a humpback whale launches out of the ocean and breaches dozens of times in succession. You're in awe, but you take careful note of what's happening.

Then the whale sinks out and you resume your duties, awaiting more sightings, perhaps of a lone gray whale, of a majestic blue whale, of thousands of dolphins or perhaps a great white shark or a pod of orcas.

This is the day in the life of a volunteer for the Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project, which is in its 26th season of tracking numbers and trends -- and in dire need of volunteers.

(Schedules are flexible but there is an urgent need for Sunday mornings, Mondays and Fridays.)

No experience is necessary; you'll be trained on site and meet other nice people with a deep appreciation for the ocean and its mammalian critters. Spotters man the patio from sunrise to sundown at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center, and have already counted more than 60 gray whales during a migration that has yet to reach its peak locally.

Soon mother whales will begin appearing with calves. These pairs generally travel closer to shore and spotters may note mothers directing her calves or protecting them from perceived threats.

Also spotted, occasionally, are blue whales, fin whales, minke whales, sperm whales, killer whales and many species of dolphins; and, of course, California sea lions, which abound off Southern California.

If this seems like a rewarding way to spend a few hours one or two days each week please contact Alisa Schulman-Janiger, the program's director, at (310) 519-8963 or via e-mail at janiger@bcf.usc.edu.

You won't regret it.

Loblaw's & Great Canadian Superstores Make it Official

This morning we received the letter we have been waiting for. Loblaw's made their position on the sale of shark fin products official. Now, Oceanic Defence was not alone in this campaign. It was originally started by Rob Stewart (Sharkwater) and 1000's of other concerned citizens. This just shows you what can happen when one becomes many and many raise their voices

Dear Jeff Shaw,

Thank you for taking the time to email us as we always appreciate hearing from our customers.

At Loblaw Companies, we strive to offer our customers excellence in customer service alongside offering superior products.

As a company, we are committed to providing our consumers with a wide range of high quality, safe foods that are produced, manufactured and sourced responsibly. We serve a wide range of customers, and are proud of our ability to offer a large variety of choices to meet their expectations.

We have taken steps which we feel support our commitment for responsibly raised and caught fish and seafood products, including a partnership with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). We are in the process of reviewing our policies regarding the sale of critical seafood species and are currently developing a future sustainable fishing policy. The shark fin soup product was a new, limited time item for Loblaw available only in select stores. We appreciate the sensitivities around the item that were brought to our attention, and upon close and immediate review we have now removed it from our shelves directly and the item will no longer be featured in our flyers.

As we value our customer feedback, we hope that we have addressed your concerns today and look forward to continuing to serve you.

Kindest regards,


Catherine S.
Sr. Customer Relations Representative
Loblaw Companies
1-800-296-2332

Fallsiview Casino Update

We have been told by one of our sources at the Fallsview Casino that the executive chef has removed all shark products from the menu at the Golden Lotus Restaurant.

We congratulate the management of the hotel for standing up for its local community and taking a stand on the selling of a non-sustainable product.

We will post the official release as it becomes available.

Shark Success!

Toronto: Saturday January 17, 2009
Today, is a great day for Sharks. Organizer Bob Timmons of Ark II and a group of very dedicated shark protectors took to the frozen streets of Toronto to protest the selling of Shark Fin Soup.

The march caught the attention of the media as they marched down Spadina near Dundas (The area is known as China Town) which supports a large number of restaurants serving the controversial delicacy. More info to follow.

Shark March - Toronto Canada

To celebrate 2009's International Year of the Shark a group of dedicated and environmentally concerned people will take to the frozen streets of downtown Toronto Canada at 12:00PM on Saturday January 17th to protest the selling of shark fin products. Their march assembles at Yonge and Dundas Square and will proceed through Chinatown.

Here's a link to the event on Facebook

We will update you throughout the day as pictures become available. If you are a member of the media I suggest you cover this story. This is one story that REALLY needs to be heard.