SFFA joins New Zealand Shark Alliance
Shark Fin Free Auckland has joined an umbrella group of NGOs unified in a campaign to prohibit shark finning in NZ waters and protect our sharks! Check out their website: www.nzsharkalliance.org.nz
SkyCity- Media Update: “Use of Shark Species at SkyCity”
SkyCity’s response to our letter and official Media Update: “Use of Shark Species at SkyCity”. They appear to be totally missing the point about shark fin soup. The collapse of shark populations worldwide is due to overfishing primarily driven by the demand for shark fin soup.
We would love to see SkyCity take it off their menu like the Peninsula and Shangri-la Hotels have in China, the whole city of Toronto in Canada, the enitre state of California in the US, all the Chinese Government state functions (by 2015) and countless others.
Over the last 6 months SFFA has been engaging with Jade Dragon at SkyCity regarding the serving of shark fin soup. We have gone in several times to discuss and been told more than once they do not serve it and handed the “other” menu. Jade Dragon then reprinted their entire a la carte menu to remove the English translation so we wouldn’t notice! It’s our business to notice. Recently we once again sent an email outlining our concerns regarding the plight of shark populations and the recent law changes banning the sale of shark fin products around the world. Above is our letter and SkyCity’s official response and media release on the sale of shark fin soup at Jade Dragon. Disappointing and out of step with continuing bans around the globe including the recent Chinese Government’s ban of SFS at ALL state functions. Support our sharks!
Action needed to remove Dr Giam Choo Hoo from CITES Now
CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, Flora & Fauna. It is the UN body created to control the trade or ban the trade in endangered species. Dr Giam Choo Hoo is the Alternative Representative for Asia within CITES. He advises the committee as to what gets and what doesn’t get protection.
He has been discovered to be working with the Shark Fin Industry and uses his position to lobby within CITES against any protection for sharks. He is using the power that he has been entrusted with, to work against the protection of endangered species.
Frank Pope of the Times of London interviewed Dr. Giam on March 14. An except from his article is as follows, “I’m elected by the Asian region I will tend to want to help them out where I can,” he told me. And he went on to say that because Shark fin Soup is the number one most prestigious thing to serve at a big event in China, Chinese people do not want it banned, and therefore he campaigns for that result.”
Shark Tale – 60 Minutes
Check this out! ‘Shark Tale’ from 60 Minutes screened on NZ’s Tv3 on March 11th. Features the SFFA crew and others talking about the shark fin industry in New Zealand:
Ban shark finning in New Zealand waters and outlaw the trade in shark fin products
Did you know shark finning is still legal in New Zealand waters? Lets compare this to other parts of the world:
- Australia = Illegal
- United States = Illegal
- Europe = Illegal
- Canada = Illegal
- Brazil = Illegal
- South Africa = Illegal
- Ecuador = Illegal
- Mexico = Illegal
Lets put New Zealand law in line with that of other developed countries.
Shark Fin Free Auckland (SFFA) is dedicated to:
- pushing for a complete ban on the barbaric practice of shark finning in New Zealand waters
- stopping the shark fin trade within Auckland
Mako shark finned alive in New Zealand waters
Despite fishing industry claims that shark finning is not common in New Zealand waters, thousands of sharks are mutilated each year and their fins destined for restaurants both here and overseas. All for a tasteless bowl of soup!
Sharks Fin Soup from a local Auckland restaurant
Shark finning, where the fins are removed and the body dumped overboard is illegal in the Europe, Australia, the US and Canada. The United Nations is currently seeking an international ban.
But here in New Zealand, the fishing industry is free to cut off the fins of over 112 species of sharks found in our waters (28 of which are are listed as threatened by the World Conservation Union (IUCN)). Sharks are slow growing and produce few young. They are under huge pressure from over fishing, and have virtually no protection. Only 11 shark species are managed under the Quota Management System. The Government must recognise the vital role sharks play in the marine ecosystem, set catch limits and put an end to finning.
SFFA, along with many other concerned groups, seek an immediate review of our National Plan of Action (Sharks), and adherence to the fundamental principle of that document which includes conservation.
The collapse of shark populations because of overfishing is a conservation issue of global concern and the demand for fins drives overfishing of sharks.
