The Shark Trust has announced the launch of its Indian Ocean Sharks Appeal.
Building on decades of experience and collaborative work, including being a founding member of the Shark League for the Atlantic and Mediterranean, the Shark Trust is now expanding its advocacy into the Indian Ocean.
The Shark Trust aims to do this by engaging directly with the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, which means the Trust can work with over 30 governments whose fleets operate on the high seas. This regional engagement is critical: weak measures, poor compliance and unchecked fishing pressure are driving Indian Ocean species toward collapse.
This is especially important, as research has found that overfishing is pushing more than a third of shark and ray species toward extinction, posing an urgent crisis that imperils ocean health and the communities that depend on it.
Unfortunately, campaigning and momentum require resources. To remain at the negotiating table, push for robust and enforceable protections as well as defend oceanic sharks against rapid decline, the Shark Trust requires additional support. Donations will sustain targeted science, policy engagement, and coalition-building that give oceanic sharks a fighting chance.
Commenting on the launch, Shark Trust Director of Conservation Ali Hood stated:
“Extending our work to the Indian Ocean is a vital step to secure science-based management for these highly threatened oceanic species. Overfishing twinned with adoption of weak measures, plus poor compliance with existing management are all factors pushing Indian Ocean species toward extinction, threatening the health of our ocean and the communities that rely on it.”
You can find out more and support the Shark Trust’s work here.
