Sharks are in deep trouble.

Overfishing sharks and the shark fin trade is causing many shark populations to crash.  Every year, approximately 100 million sharks are caught and killed in commercial fisheries, many for their fins, or in the case of large rays for gill rakers. Some large sharks have experienced a decline by as much as 90-99%  around the world.  Shark's biology that has served them so well over hundreds of millions of years, is now working against them. Sharks grow slowly, mature late, and produce few young over their lifetimes. These factors make them highly vulnerable to overexploitation and it can take populations decades to recover from depletion if fishing is stopped. At least one-quarter of sharks and rays are threatened, and over one-quarter are Near Threatened. The demand for shark fins,meat, liver oil, and other products has driven large declines in populations worldwide. It is estimated that more than half of all shark and rays face an elevated risk of extinction due to overfishing.

Protecting migratory marine species and their habitats is  essential for the health of the oceans and humans. Listings that require better international management protecting sharks are a critical step towards saving species facing imminent extinction. 

Shark Stewards is dedicated to conserving our ocean resources by saving sharks. Their work is recognized on the state, national and international policy levels around shark finning, the shark fin trade and creating shark sanctuaries. Each year Shark Stewards reaches over ten thousand students and public locally during talks and events, focusing on saving sharks. Shark Stewards is a non-profit project of the Earth Island Institute.
Please volunteer or consider donating so we can keep fighting for sharks.