COARE: news | archives | newsletter: July 2011

Sharks, Senators, and Supremes . . .
Sunday, 31 July 2011

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Contents:
  - Shark Week
  - Shark fin bans
  - Sacramento Shark Day
  - High Court upholds bag ban
  - Portland bans the bag
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Hello, fellow ocean lovers!

One of the most watched and talked about series on
television begins its 2011 season today.  Three years
ago, Shark Week was promoted as taking a different
approach to help promote shark conservation, but
Discovery continues to malign sharks and instill fear in
its viewers.  This year's program includes titles such
"Great White Invasion", "How Sharks Hunt", "Killer
Sharks", "Top Five Eaten Alive", and "10 Deadliest 
Sharks" (repeating for the fifth year) - so it's clear
that Discovery Channel will continue to contribute to 
the image of sharks as monsters.

With such sensationalized and fear inspiring segments,
messages, and ideology, sharks will continue to receive
an undeserved reputation, and they will continue to be
hated and hunted.

We have mixed feelings about Shark Week; while the
programming and messaging presented go against our
grain, Shark Week definitely gets people thinking about 
and talking about sharks, and that makes for fantastic
teaching opportunities.  We encourage you to butt into 
those conversations, and help set the facts straight.

Remember, you can always send people to our Shark Myths
page at: 

    http://coare.org/know/sharkmyths.php

We also now have a new website shortcut to redirect to
our "save sharks" page.  This page includes information
about current shark conservation efforts, how you can
help, and it includes a link to the aforementioned Shark
Myths page.

The URL for our new easy-to-remember shark conservation
landing page is:

    http://coare.org/sharks

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  - Shark fin bans
 ---

Last month, we reported on the status of Assembly Bill 
(AB) 376 - California's proposed legislation to ban the
sale, trade, and distribution of shark fins.  The
opposition is still lobbying with gusto, and we're
doing our best to dispel the mistruths they're
propagating.

The Senate Appropriations Hearing was set to be held
earlier this month, but that was postponed until after
the Legislative summer recess.  The new date for the
hearing is set for Monday, 15 August 2011.  Again, we'd
like to call upon our California residents (and NGO 
representatives with California constituents) to contact 
the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee
urging them to pass this bill:
    http://www.coare.org/act/ab376/#sencomm

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  - Sacramento Shark Day
 ---

We'll be in Sacramento at the Capitol that day (Monday,
15 August) not just to take part in the Senate Hearing, 
but also as part of "Shark Day - A Celebration of the
Ocean's Top Boss".

Along with other shark fans and conservation
organizations, we'll be taking over the lawn of the 
Capitol from 08:00am to 1:30pm.  If you're in or near
Sacramento, come out and join the fun, which will
include refreshments, entertainment, and celebrity 
appearances.

 ---
  - High Court upholds bag ban
 ---

Three years ago, on 15 July 2008, the City of Manhattan
Beach, California, adopted an ordinance banning
single-use plastic bags, but that move was challenged 
by powerful plastic interests.  The "Save the Plastic 
Bag Coalition", a coalition of plastic bag manufacturers
and distributors, sued the City of Manhattan Beach on 
technical grounds, which were upheld by both the Trial 
Court and the Court of Appeals.

However, on 14 July 2011, nearly three years after
Manhattan Beach initially approved the ban, the
California State Supreme Court disagreed with the lower
courts, and found that the City acted appropriately.  In
the Court's unanimous opinion, Justice Carol Corrigan
referred to "substantial evidence and common sense" in
support of the City's ordinance.

Justice is served — without a plastic bag.

 ---
  - Portland bans the bag
 ---

On Thursday, 21 July, the City Council of Portland,
Oregon's largest city, voted unanimously to enact a ban
on single-use plastic bag.  This ban would take effect
as early as October of this year, and the City has
declared this situation an emergency "because the
on-going use of single-use plastic shopping bags is
harmful to the public welfare."

The City Council considered a similar ban last year, but
held off pursuing a municipal ban, hoping that the State
Legislature would enact a statewide measure.
Unfortunately, Oregon Senate Bill (SB) 536 was stalled
in committee as a result of pressure from industry.
With this unanimous vote, the Commissioners and Portland
Mayor Sam Adams hope that their action facilitates other
municipalities and the State to take similar action.


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Wishing you healthy oceans, 
 - Your friends at COARE

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