COARE: Saving Sharks with Sherman's Lagoon <meta name="keywords" content="Sharks, advocacy, protection, saving sharks" /> <meta name="robots" content="index, follow" /> <LINK REL="STYLESHEET" HREF="/template/styles.css" TYPE="text/css"> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript>  </SCRIPT> </HEAD>  <BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#0000FF" ALINK="#FF0000" onload="MM_preloadImages('img/button-aboutus.gif','/img/button-aboutus2.gif','img/button-home.gif','/img/button-home2.gif','/img/button-links.gif','/img/button-links2.gif','/img/button-projects.gif','/img/button-projects2.gif','/img/button-stayinformed.gif','/img/button-stayinformed2.gif','/img/button-supportus.gif','/img/button-supportus2.gif','/img/button-takeaction.gif','/img/button-takeaction2.gif')"> <BLOCKQUOTE> <BLOCKQUOTE> <center> <img src="/img/coarelogo7-banner.gif" alt="[COARE logo]"> <h1> Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education </h1> </center> <p class=sm> </p> <TABLE cellSpacing=10 cellPadding=0 width=750> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=135> <A onmouseover="MM_swapImage('home','','/img/button-home2.gif',1)" onmouseout=MM_swapImgRestore() href="/"><img height=25 src="/img/button-home.gif" width=135 border=0 alt="Home" name=home></A><BR><BR> <A onmouseover="MM_swapImage('about','','/img/button-aboutus2.gif',1)" onmouseout=MM_swapImgRestore() href="/about/"><img height=25 src="/img/button-aboutus.gif" width=135 border=0 alt="About Us" name=about></A><BR><BR> <A onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('projects','','/img/button-projects2.gif',1)" onMouseOut=MM_swapImgRestore() href="/projects/"><img height=25 src="/img/button-projects.gif" width=135 border=0 alt="Projects" name=projects></A><BR><BR> <A onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('support','','/img/button-supportus2.gif',1)" onMouseOut=MM_swapImgRestore() href="/give/"><img height=25 src="/img/button-supportus.gif" width=135 border=0 alt="Support Us" name=support></A><BR><BR> <A onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('know','','/img/button-stayinformed2.gif',1)" onMouseOut=MM_swapImgRestore() href="/know/"><img height=25 src="/img/button-stayinformed.gif" width=135 border=0 alt="Stay Informed" name=know></A><BR><BR> <A onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('act','','/img/button-takeaction2.gif',1)" onMouseOut=MM_swapImgRestore() href="/act/"><img height=25 src="/img/button-takeaction.gif" width=135 border=0 alt="Take Action" name=act></A><BR><BR> <A onMouseOver="MM_swapImage('linkfoo','','/img/button-links2.gif',1)" onMouseOut=MM_swapImgRestore() href="/links/"><img height=25 src="/img/button-links.gif" width=135 border=0 alt="Links" name=linkfoo></A><BR><BR> </td> <p> <TD vAlign=top width=700> <p class="section"> Saving Sharks with Sherman's Lagoon . . . </p> A message from Jim Toomey, author of <a href=http://slagoon.com/ target=_blank>Sherman's Lagoon</a>: <p> <br> April 14, 2008 <p> April could turn out to be a pivotal month for shark conservation here in the U.S. Just a few days ago, the Shark Conservation Act of 2008 was introduced to our Congress. There are also lots of other activities this week and month that could go a long way toward much needed shark fishing regulations both here and in international waters. But before the political will must come the public interest. So, this week, it's my goal to demonstrate to policy makers in Washington that public interest in shark conservation is quite strong, and the old notion that "the only good shark is a dead shark" is not a concept the public embraces anymore. <p> This Sunday, April 20, I have devoted my color Sunday "Sherman's Lagoon" comic strip to creating awareness and public interest in saving sharks from extinction. Recent population studies done by numerous independent marine biologists confirm that many species of large sharks - from great whites to hammerheads to tiger sharks - are being overfished to the point that only 5% of their historic populations remain. This fall, international shark catch limits are going to be reevaluated by scientists, and the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is going to establish much more stringent catch limits in US waters. The US regulations could set an international precedent, which is badly needed, since most of the overfishing is now happening in unregulated international waters. Having gained adequate limits in the US, the NMFS will have an opportunity - and the clout - to propose and fight for the first international catch limits for sharks in a key international meeting coming up this November. <p> We have a chance to show the NMFS that the public does indeed care about sharks - that they aren't considered pests but a vital part of nature. When the Sunday April 20 cartoon gets published in your local paper, or <a href=http://coare.org/downloads/Sherman_SOS.pdf> here</a> on this website, you will have an opportunity to participate in this public awareness effort. Dr. James Balsiger, director of NMFS, who will be the recipient of all of your mail-in cartoons, is aware of this campaign and is actually looking forward to a heavy response as a way to point out to the fishing communities and regulatory bodies that this is an issue the the public cares about. Please help him make that point, which could go a long way toward creating much-needed regulations, not only in US waters but around the world. <p> Thanks, <p> Jim Toomey </td></tr> </tbody> </table> <br> <br> <hr> <center> <div class=sm> <a href="/">Home</a> | <a href="/contact/">Contact Us</a> | Site Map | <a href="/privacy/">Privacy Policy</a> | <a href="/legal/">Legal Information</a> | <a href="/copyright/">Copyright</a> <br> </strong> Copyright ©2006-2008 The Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education </div> </BODY> </HTML>