DIVING NEWS ITEM

SHARK WEEK Viewers Urged to Help Protect Sharks

TUESDAY, 29 JULY 2008

WASHINGTON - Ocean Conservancy and Discovery Channel launched a shark conservation blog to run through SHARK WEEK (July 27th through August 1st). Our goal is to identify the latest shark conservation news and science and offer viewers the opportunity to take action on behalf of sharks. Sonja Fordham, director of Ocean Conservancy's shark conservation program, will host the blog beginning on July 22nd at www.discovery.com/sharkweek. Discovery Channel has also produced and will air public service announcements to run nightly during prime time SHARK WEEK programming, urging viewers to learn more and take action.

"Sharks are some of the most vulnerable creatures in our ocean and SHARK WEEK provides a great venue for learning more about these amazing creatures, the important role they play in our ocean, and how, together, we can safeguard their future," said Sonja Fordham, director of Ocean Conservancy's shark conservation program. "Sharks are in trouble around the world. Through overfishing, finning, and habitat destruction, we are far more dangerous to sharks than they are to us."

Overexploitation through targeted fishing and accidental capture ("bycatch") is the number one threat to sharks today. Habitat degradation and pollution also pose threats to sharks and other marine wildlife. Despite their fierce image, sharks are some of the most imperiled creatures in the ocean.

"Today, more than ever, people have an understanding of the increasing threats to our ocean. With this understanding comes a hunger to be part of the solution and to contribute to a better future," continued Fordham.

Below are five tips to contribute to the health of the ocean:

Pick up your trash. The majority of trash in our ocean comes from land-based activities and careless behaviors. Ocean trash alone kills over 100,000 marine mammals each year through ingestion and entanglement.
Use re-usable bags for groceries and beach trips. Single use bags consume valuable resources and can be mistaken for food by animals in the ocean.
Ask for sustainable seafood options at restaurants and markets. Market forces can help push managers to ensure responsible fishing.
Support science-based fisheries management. Contact government officials and tell them to end overfishing and shark finning in the U.S. and internationally.
Join Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup – the world's largest network of volunteers working to improve the health of the ocean.

Our ocean is essential to the health of everything on the planet – including our own. It provides much of the air we breathe, absorbs over a third of the greenhouse gases we produce, and maintains the climate we need to survive. Fundamentally, the ocean is the life support system for our planet. Visit www.oceanconservancy.org. (BUSINESS WIRE)

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