The Australian Anti Shark Finning Alliance

TAASFA, with thanks to Perry Productions has just released its latest video - Shark Slaughter.

This video is a look in just one fish market, Vigo Fish Market, Spain.  The scale of shark slaughter is incredible and these scenes are replicated all over the world, every day.

Shangguan Junle, chairman of Haomen Jipin Restaurants in Shanxi Province has declared to be shark fin free and has given away the remaining shark fin amounting to 2800 serves worth about $A103,000 to locals.

Mr Junle's  restaurants had an annual turnover of 50 million yuan (US$7.9 million) generated from shark fins, a third of the company’s total turnover.

Congratulation Mr Junle and xie xie :-)

Read more here

We have compiled a short video reflecting on 2011 and our progress into 2012.

Thank you to all who have supported us.

TAASFA calls for 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games boycott, unless the Queensland government:

* Stops the annual slaughter of 78 000 sharks on the Great Barrier Reef

* Ends its system of nets and drum lines, better known as the Shark Control Program

* Introduces state legislation to ban the possession, sale and trade in shark fin

Find out more at our new sister site here

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Summary

New South Wales (NSW) & Queensland (QLD) operate programs they claim protect beach users from sharks. The reality is simple, they don't protect beach users but what they do is kill thousands of marine wildlife every year. The carnage these programs inflict is mind-blowing, but it is a dirty little secret that neither government can or will address.

URGENT

Trying to convince the NSW & QLD governments to do away with nets and baited drum lines is not a fight we are going to win overnight, we acknowledge that yet we continue to fight toward that goal. What we demand happen right now is that all nets and baited drum lines near grey nurse shark habitats be removed immediately. This is not an issue we can afford to procastinate over. The east coast population of grey nurse sharks is listed as critically endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (Cth). Estimates of the numbers of individuals left in this population ranges from about 1500 down to about 500 individuals. The fact is, the east coast population of grey nurse sharks is on the brink of extinction, yet the NSW and QLD governments continue to cause their deaths, with shark control programs specifically identified as posing a threat to this species. Find out more about grey nurse sharks here.

 The Facts

In 1935 & 1962 the Australian states of NSW & QLD respectively, introduced lethal means to keep sharks away from swimmers on their beaches.  NSW NSW introduced its 'Shark Meshing Program' (SMP) which operates from the first week in September to April 30 each year. It currently comprises about 200 km of nets over 51 beaches from Wollongong in the south to Newcastle in the north. The nets have a stretched mesh size of 50 to 60 cm, are 150 m to 200 m long, 6 m deep, set on the bottom in approximately 10 m of water, and are usually located 400 m to 500 m off shore. These nets are commonly known as gillnets.

QLD introduced its 'Shark Control Program' (SCP) in 1962, which operates all year round. The SCP uses both nets and baited drumlines, both of which are located from the Gold Coast in the south to Cairns in the north. Click here for all QLD SCP locations. The nets are, according to the QLD government "... specifically designed to catch sharks over 2 m in length." The nets are 186 m long, have a depth of 2 m and a mesh size of 500 cm. These nets are commonly known as gillnets. The drumlines consist of a large, barbed hook, suspended from a plastic float, which is anchored to the bottom. The QLD government employs independent contractors to check the nets and drum lines every second day. The QLD government's reason for implementing the SCP: "Prior to 1962, regular shark attacks at beaches led the Queensland Government to investigate the most practical and cost-effective methods of preventing shark attacks."

What is the price?

Firstly, let's put the shark/human relationship into perspective. On average about 4 to 5 people die each year due to shark interaction, out of a human population of 7 billion! More people are killed every year from lightning strikes or by vending machines falling on them! Did you know that more people die in the state of Tasmania each year due to bites from Jack Jumper ants than they do from spiders, snakes, wasps and sharks combined? In Australia on average 1 human fatality per year results from shark interaction, yet the NSW & QLD governments persist with their SMP and SCP, respectively. However, we don't see any Australian government targeting alcohol suppliers (About 31,132 Australians died from alcohol-caused disease and injury between 1992 and 2001 - source) or motor vehicle suppliers (1,627 people died in 2005 from motor vehicle related incidents - source). So why such a murderous campaign against sharks and other marine wildlife when on average, 1 human fatality occurs per year? It all seems very disproportionate. The price paid by our marine wildlife for 1 human fatality per year is staggering. According to a report prepared by Dr Patricia Dixon of the Fisheries Scientific Committee in 2005 in relation to the NSW SMP:

* Over 11,500 sharks have been killed between 1950 and 2002, including 373 Grey Nurse Sharks (Critically endangered) and 526 Great White Sharks (Vulnerable);

* In one instance the SMP is located close to a designated grey nurse shark critical habitat (Magic Point, Maroubra); and

* Other marine wildlife often killed by the SMP include, Dugong, Loggerhead Turtles, Green Turtles, Leatherback Turtles, Humpback Whales and Australian Fur Seals.

The QLD SCP is arguably, even more environmentally devastating. In the 10 years, 2001 to 2011 6,779 sharks were killed because of the SCP, including 18 Grey Nurse Sharks and 68 Great White Sharks - source. According to a CSIRO report published in 1998:

* 119 Turtles were caught, on average per year between 1962 and 1995;

* 20 dugong were caught, on average per year between 1962 and 1996;

* 19 dolphins were caught, on average per year between 1962 and 1995; and

* 60 whales were caught between 1962 and 1995.

However the report itself has to be taken cautiously as it itself questions the authenticity of some of the records. The level of accuracy in the reporting and recording of data from the SCP has also been questioned from other sources, with some arguing the number of marine wildlife deaths to be higher than that reported by the SCP administrators.

Marine wildlife are not expendable

The NSW and QLD governments continue to exploit loopholes in their own legislation to allow them to target and kill protected species. The hypocrisy of this situation is unfathomable. The QLD government's own Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) says of the critically endangered grey nurse shark;

 "The main pressures on grey nurse sharks appear to be fishing activities and shark control programs."

It states further;

"The biological susceptibility of sharks to over fishing, evidence for increasing fishing pressure and lack of information have given rise to increasing concern about the sharks and rays of the Reef."

Yet the QLD government continues to kill sharks and other marine wildlife through the SCP. Our marine wildlife are not expendable and we simply can't continue in our ignorant, murderous ways, particularly with the continued utilisation of the SMP and SCP all because on average 1 human fatality per year results from human/shark interaction.

What can you do to help?

Contact the following government members and tell them of your concerns for marine wildlife due to the continued utilisation of the SMP and SCP and that you want it bought to an end. In particular, let Katrina Hodgkinson MP and Barry O'Farrell know that you want the SMP removed from the recognised grey nurse habitat at Magic Point (Maroubra) and you want to see the re-implementation of the 2002 protected status for the Fish Rock and Green Island grey nurse shark habitats.

Queensland Anna Bligh MP, Premier of Queensland PO Box 15185 City East Queensland 4002 thepremier@premiers.qld.gov.au

Craig Wallace MP, QLD Minister for Main Roads, Fisheries and Marine Infrastructure PO Box 1375 THURINGOWA CENTRAL QLD 4817 Thuringowa@parliament.qld.gov.au or mainroads@ministerial.qld.gov.au

New South Wales Barry O'Farrell MP, Premier of New South Wales Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Online contact form

Kartrina Hodgkinson MP, NSW Minister for Primary Industries PO Box 600 YASS NSW 2582 burrinjuck@parliament.nsw.gov.au

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Link: http://www.taasfa.com/breakfast-with-bull-sharks.html

TAASFA headed down to the Carbrook Golf Club on the morning of Saturday 22 October 2011 to have breakfast with Bull Sharks.

The sharks found their way into the 50 acre lagoon about 16 years ago after a flood inundated the area and now call the lagoon home.

See the video of our Bull Shark experience at the link above.

Link: http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/221371/20110929/scientists-points-to-dwindling-shark-numbers-in-great-barrier-reef.htm

A study by James Cook University has shown shark populations on Australia's Great Barrier Reef are in decline and the finger is being pointed at the shark finning industry.

"At present, shark numbers are decimated either by accidental fishing or deliberate hunting for the marine mammal's fin, which is a priced commodity in many parts of Asia, according to Agence France Presse (AFP)."

We're not sure about the reference to sharks being mammals and hope this was the journalist's error and not the researchers!

Link: http://www.taasfa.com/bob_irwin.html

The Australian Anti Shark Finning Alliance is proud to announce that we have teamed up with Australia's, if not the world's leading wildlife conservationist and advocate Bob Irwin in our fight against shark finning.

Bob told us;

"I'm absolutely horrified and I've decided together with my colleagues and my friends to actually take the shark finning industry on board and try and do what we can to make people aware of just how bad this industry is."

Find out more about our meeting and watch our interview with Bob Irwin here

Link: http://www.taasfa.com/merchandise.html

Thanks to our good mate Wayne from Sticker Art, Underwood, Brisbane we now have a great line of Bumper Stickers available for you to stick all over the place and spread the word about the devastation the shark finning industry is doing.

Available for only $A3.99 each (inc. postage within Australia) or $A4.99 each for postage anywhere in the world not only do they look great, they are sure to draw attention and raise the profile of our fight to end shark finning.

Visit the link above to purchase and find out more.

We are proud to list several people as our inspiration for working tirelessly in our efforts to save sharks & our marine ecosystems. They are:

Bob Irwin: Most of you will know Bob as the father of the late Steve Irwin. Bob is a passionate advocate for wildlife and never ceases to amaze and inspire us with his drive, commitment and determination to fight for wildlife. Find out more about Bob HERE

Steve Irwin: Steve Irwin transformed the concept of wildlife advocacy from a niche, boutique style ideal to something the world embraced, a massive task that only someone of Steve's calibre and personality could achieve. A truly remarkable individual who passed away too soon and is sadly missed. Find our more about Steve HERE

Mike Rutzen: Mike hails from South Africa and operates 'Shark Diving Unlimited.' Big deal you might say. Mike has done more than anyone to dispel the myths surrounding sharks. He dives without a cage with Great White Sharks and advocates that shark conservation can fuel an entire industry through tourism. Find out more about Mike HERE

Carlos Macuacua: Last, but by no means least, Carlos is from Mozambique and is a staunch shark protector. This guy is achieving results for shark conservation at the ground level and is one of the most amazing conservationists I have seen and hope one day to meet. His 'no bullshit' approach conveys a message that simply can't be ignored. Find out more about Carlos and the real impacts of shark finning HERE