Palau creates first "shark sanctuary"

Palauan President Johnson Toribiong told the Associated Press in an interview Thursday, "Palau will declare its territorial waters and extended economic zone to be the first officially recognized sanctuary for sharks."

The need to protect the sharks outweighs the need to enjoy a bowl of soup.
President Johnson Toribiong

However, a recent flyover by Australian aircraft showed more than 70 vessels fishing Palau's waters, many of them illegally.   Palau only has one (1) patrol boat for an area the size of Texas so Friday's announcement to the United Nations General Assembly is really more about calling attention to the issue.

We join others in calling for passage of the U.S. Shark Conservation Act of 2009 (S 850 / HR 81), which would completely prohibit the removal of shark fins at sea, close loopholes in the current finning law, and promote shark conservation in other countries.  HR 81, introduced by Representative Madeline Bordallo (Guam), passed the House of Representatives unanimously in March 2009.  Senator John Kerry (D-MA) introduced the Senate version in April 2009.

TAKE ACTION: Ask your senator to support the Shark Conservation Act.

On the lighter side...

The Mako Faction is a shark conservation group created last week; the club is restricted to members of the American Bar Association and is designed to give lawyers a tongue-in-cheek way of bonding over oceanic issues facing the world today.