Urgent action is needed to stop a shark fishing tournament scheduled for July 9, 2022, in Jupiter, Florida.
Shark trophy hunters are signing up for this event and commenting about shooting as many sharks in the head as possible and only taking the most significant shark carcasses back to weigh-in stations to win a prize for the largest fish caught. Another alarming detail is that this event is allegedly supported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA fisheries. It is appalling that two agencies charged with protecting sharks would allow an event that promotes an absolute disregard for life. This tournament is not about sustenance. It is about the thrill of the kill and fosters a lack of respect for sharks and their essential role in keeping our underwater ecosystems healthy and balanced. This lack of respect breeds poaching and other egregious acts. It also sends a message that it is okay to kill for “fun.”
Over 100 million sharks are killed yearly; shark populations have declined by 70% over the past 50 years and continue to decline worldwide. They face numerous threats such as overfishing, being caught as bycatch, finning, habitat loss, and more. Sharks reproduce slowly, and tournaments such as this one often target the biggest sharks, which happen to be the females, and it is not uncommon for pregnant sharks to be killed.
As apex predators, sharks shift their prey’s spatial habitat, which alters the feeding behavior and diets of other species, impacting predatory fish and herbivorous fish, which in turn affects coral reefs and sea grass beds. In the absence of sharks, underwater ecosystems collapse.
You can help stop this tournament and save sharks by contacting those listed below and telling them that you DO NOT support shark fishing tournaments or killing for amusement.
