| Signers of Great Barrier Reef petition, 2001 to 3500 |
|
3500 Not publicly disclosed, Rockingham, WA, Australia What has happened to you Mr Garret? 3499 Ibrahim El-Zein, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany When I first came to Australia in the early 80's we where leading the world in the environmental arena. 25 years later we have dropped back to environmental short sightedness belonging to the 50's. Don't expect any further support from me, when you preach for understanding on your climate change policies whilst blatantly supporting industries that are part of the main problem. 3497 Not publicly disclosed, Thurso, Caithness, Scotland Please ban all shark fishing. They are critical to all ecosystems and without them the impact will be great. 3495 Delta Conchas, Ajax, Ontario, Canada Me and my family are outraged by your lack of support to the marine ecosystem. Your are contributing to the extinction of Sharks and should be ashamed. 3494 Juan Pomares, Long Beach, CA, USA There is no reason to add to the devastation already happening. Killing the top predator will lead to the over consumption of the coral reef due to the infestation of roaming reef eaters. 3493 Emily Jenkins, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia I am embarrassed for you. You are quite stupid to think this will not effect people. I am outraged that you would let this happen. You represent Australia when you make bad decisions like this. We look just as bad as all of the people with power who don't understand how this effects the environment. But what's worse is I'm sure you do understand what your doing is wrong and quite clearly you don't care. So just go ahead and ignore what people are saying. Pretend to yourself your doing what's right. Your just like all the other horrible people in the world with power. You should know better. You make me sick.3492 Katalin Kll, Salzburg, Austria Sharks play a very important part in our ecosystem. Without them, our ecosystem will not be able to function properly. Shark fishing must be stopped if we do not we do not want our ecosystem to suffer any consequences. 3490 Baha Amine, Fes, Morocco After watching "Sharkwater" I have become more aware of the horrific and inhumane treatment of sharks. I had no idea the situation was so severe. It's disgusting. I will do what I can to spread the word. 3478 Martin Strommer, Alexandria, NSW, Australia Before you go into the next Chinese restaurant please ask them if they serve shark fin soup. If they do, politely let them know that you are opposed to the practice of shark finning and dine somewhere else. Making a difference can be easy. 3477 Christophe Perin, Le Havre, France Je voudrais faire mon possible contre la pêche aux requins. 3467 Bianca Serfontein, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Sharks may not have the same appeal as whales, but they should be just as protected. Just as whales have taken years to start to recover from massive hunting in the past, shark populations will take years to recover from overfishing. 3461 Not publicly disclosed, Perth, WA, Australia It would be an absolute travesty if the Queensland Government allows shark fishing in the Great Barrier Reef. The world's fish and shark stocks have been decimated over the years and we should be putting in place measures to protect our fish stocks, sharks and oceans, not encouraging activities that are going to further negatively impact our marine ecosystems. Do you want to wait until there's nothing left and then feel bad because you didn't do anything? Or would you rather be at the forefront of preventing further environmental degradation and species extinction? 3459 Joan Wells, Noranda, WA, Australia C'mon do you really have to kill everything? When is animal and marine life ever going to be as important as a humans! Future generations are deserving of knowing what our earth and all its creatures are like. I quote " It won't be until the last plant and animals have gone that we realise that we can't eat money." Pls stop this ludicrous idea; the people you are meant to represent do not want this to go ahead. Do not forget what your job is to represent the voice of the people! Thank-you. 3457 Not publicly disclosed, Hughesdale, Victoria, Australia Please ban all shark fishing. 3456 Not publicly disclosed, Mount Lawley, WA, Australia I can't believe that in this day and age Australia will be seen as supporting one of the most destructive, cruel and highly unsustainable fisheries in the world.. I am ashamed to be called an Australian if this is what we stand for. 3450 Shannon Stimpson, Hampton Bays, NY, USA Thanks for all your efforts saving these beautiful creatures! 3446 Not publicly disclosed, Hong Kong Terrible decision on your part!! Please wise up and respect our environment.... 3442 Not publicly disclosed, Mandurah, WA, Australia The documentary Sharkwater shocked me. I was afraid of shark before I seen this tragedy documentary. I want a help and I hope this will help. I`ll do the best to help this cause. 3438 David Tiemstra, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada We as humans know what is right and what is wrong. And we as humans need to step-up and do the right thing. Not just for us, but for our planet. 3437 Not publicly disclosed, Wembley, WA, Australia Come on guys, do our country proud and leave a legacy for my kids - the right one! 3436 Not publicly disclosed, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada I find this to be a terrible display of the Australian government's lack of commitment to global environmental integrity. This is a terribly irresponsible act that soils the image of Australia. 3435 Damian Garone, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Why can't we find a balance... why must we always take too much!!! It is possible to live in balance with the world... It has done so for much longer than we have existed... even the simplest creature can do it... ARE WE TOO STUPID... ARE WE NOT ABLE TO DO WHAT DUMB ANIMALS SEEM TO DO WITH OUT EFFORT!!!! 3434 David Coles, Greenfields, WA, Australia Silence is all we will see and hear when they are gone. 3432 Not publicly disclosed, Perth, WA, Australia
3430 Gina Hodges, Matthews, NC, USA This is simply not on! 3427 Matthew Wilson, Mandurah, WA, Australia On a personal note, this is the most absurd and backwards thinking I have seen by a government department. How can we legitimately say we care for the environment & future of the world when we are contemplating this? I will be telling everyone I know about this and ensure that we all boycott Queensland as a holiday destination due to this money hungry concept. Wake up Queensland and make the rest of Australia proud by rejecting this stupid proposal. 3426 Not publicly disclosed, Rivervale, WA, Australia We're supposed to be leading the world in fisheries management - how can we possibly justify the slaughter of these beautiful animals?! What a bunch of hypocrites! 3424 Jason Halliday, Perth, WA, Australia I cannot believe that in this day and age we are actually considering this proposal. Have we not learnt from our past mistakes ? 3422 Patricia Dalton, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada I saw Sharkwater, and was moved. Stop the brutal, senseless killing of sharks! 3421 Karthik Ramanujam, Bangalore, Karnataka, India Ban ALL shark fishing immediately throughout the entire the Great Barrier Reef area--establish sustainable catch limits elsewhere that are based on sound research--vigorously enforce those policies. 3420 Not publicly disclosed, Kirkland, Quebec, Canada Ban shark fishing, finning, fin importation, and long-line fishing. Enforce as necessary. 3419 Claire Tolkien, York, England, UK I have just watched the film Sharkwater, what a truly inspiring yet upsetting insight into what money makes us humans do. We are willing to endanger and slaughter innocent animals that have lived on this earth for millions of years all to make a "buck".3416 Jenna Rachelle, Perth, WA, Australia Stop the destruction!!!!!!!!!3415 Ben Eliot, Perth, WA, Australia Please do not let money get in the way of our Australian shark populations.3414 Nick Sanders, Sydney, NSW, Australia I am shocked by not only the scale of global shark fishing which I didn't realise was conducted on such a large and organised scale but more so that shark fishing is supported by the Australian government. For a country which hosts the world's largest reef and as a country which preaches to others on environmental issues such as climate change and whaling, it's shameful that shark fishing should not only be allowed to occur but is legal and endorsed by the Australian Government. Australia is a developed Western nation, we should be leading by example and ban all shark fishing, how else can we expect other poorer nations to do the same?3413 Danielle Lowy, Los Angeles, CA, USA Shark fishing and finning is not a legacy that Australia should leave behind.3412 Not publicly disclosed, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 3411 Philippe Blanchette Nagy, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Save the sharks! Please!3410 Not publicly disclosed, Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada 3409 Samuel Delongchamp, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada 3408 Not publicly disclosed, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada 3407 Edward Deitrick, Cranberry Township, PA, USA 3406 Kristi McLellan, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 3405 Jami Kirk, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 3404 Andy Muzio, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada Why don't they just eat imitation fins.3403 Not publicly disclosed, Cairns, Queensland, Australia 3402 Doris Kienle, Straubing, Deutschland, Bayern I learned diving in the Barrier Reef ten years ago. I saw a lot of sharks and I hope, when I come again, there will be sharks. Otherwise I will never go to Australia again. I can spread my money in other countries also.3401 Rondet Caroline, Estagel, France 3400 Jamie Trahair, Adelaide, SA, Australia 3399 Not publicly disclosed, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada 3398 Andreane Daigle, Cowansville, Quebec, Canada Shark fishing is a horror, just like the people who tolerate it..3397 Thomas Cogan, Stonington, CT, USA 3396 Sally Cogan, Stonington, CT, USA 3395 Rebecca Barlow, Milton, Ontario, Canada 3394 Lisa Puharich, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada 3393 Stephane Kolb, Thann, Haut-Rhin, France Regardez Sharkwater vaut tout les commentaires...3392 Not publicly disclosed, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada 3391 Clint Franklin, Perth, WA, Australia STOP THIS BARBARIC ATROCITY.3390 Alex Mahoney, Chalong, Phuket, Thailand 3389 Krystyna Spanell, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada 3388 Nick Davenport, Stoke Newington, London, UK 3387 Not publicly disclosed, Ste-Brigide d'Iberville, Quebec, Canada 3386 Not publicly disclosed, Arlington, VA, USA 3385 Not publicly disclosed, London, England, UK Ban ALL shark fishing throughout Australian waters and support a worldwide ban on shark fishing.3384 Heather Davis, Gin Gin, Queensland, Australia No commercial fishing should be allowed in the Great Barrier Reef.3383 Not publicly disclosed, Sydney, NSW, Australia 3382 Fabrice Leclerc, Nancy, France I had the opportunity to visit the aquarium in Cape Town and I got more concerned and sensitive to shark saving since then. Many short movies on sharks are available on the VUZE network for exchanging videos. I think these are also ways to educate people about sharks. Thanks for what you''re doing.3381 Michelle Slavik, Dalmeny, NSW, Australia What will we kill when the sharks are gone? Lets stop before it's too late.3380 George Dauwalder, Steffisburg, Berne, Switzerland Thanks for your engagement!3379 Beth Conaway, Panama City Beach, FL, USA I've dreamed of diving the Great Barrier Reef since I was 14 and got my Jr. PADI certification. As a child I read about sharks and always hoped to go shark diving there one day.3378 Not publicly disclosed, Austin, TX, USA 3377 Danielle Guzy, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada 3376 Jimmy Wiklund, Stockholm, Sweden Didn't know that they cut off the fins without even killing them first. Or that it was so wide spread. God we (general public) are really uneducated and ignorant. :-(3375 Chad Dubrul, Austin, TX, USA Quit killing innocent animals for profit. It is sad and sick. Thanks.3374 Jean-Marc Nantel, Mont-tremblant , Quebec, Canada 3373 Not publicly disclosed, Jullianges, Haute-Loire, France Toute pche intensive est notre poque intolrable!!!! Penser nos enfants.....3372 Not publicly disclosed, Trappes, France Save sharks, save us!3371 Lisa Aki Toyoda, St-Lazare, Quebec, Canada Sharkwater was a wake-up call for me. It is so frustrating and heartbreaking to see these people being controlled by money and not care for our future and living things. We need to be more educated and more people need to see Sharkwater.3370 Not publicly disclosed, Frisco, TX, USA 3369 Maximilian Milz, Sydney, NSW, Australia Save the sharks... the great barrier reef is gonna suck without them...3368 Not publicly disclosed, Hong Kong 3367 David Curty, Lyon, Rhone-Alpes, France I'm strongly opposed to shark fishing and finning. I hope your beautiful country won't let the industry of fishing kill the sharks. I hope your children will be able to dive with sharks in the future as I do now. Thank you for your attention and for the sharks.3366 Not publicly disclosed, Bergen, Hordaland, Norway 3365 Not publicly disclosed, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 3364 Not publicly disclosed, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 3363 Krista Shannon, Lovington, NM, USA 3362 Karolina Golik, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada 3361 Not publicly disclosed, Townsville, Queensland, Australia 3360 Brad Pearen, Ajax, Ontario, Canada Shark fishing is ridiculous. Don't people realize how important these creatures are to our existance?3359 Joshua Green, Los Angeles, CA, USA 3358 Josh Christopher, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada I like to scuba dive. I'm not vacationing there if you've killed all the sharks.3357 Esmeray Elcim, Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden 3356 Stephanie Nys, Superior, WI, USA I traveled abroad to study in Australia for three months and did scuba dive over eight times, hoping on seeing sharks. I saw three. Australia needs to help lead the world in showing respect for all animals that deserve a place in this world. In a year I will have finished my Marine Biology major and intend to leave for the coast to get a job. Eventually I may return to Australia and hope to see more sharks (including the whale sharks).3355 Graldine Esnaud, Angers, Pays de la Loire, France 3354 Not publicly disclosed, Batemans Bay, NSW, Australia 3353 Forrest Ingram, Ocean Beach, CA, USA Save the sharks..the great barrier reef is gonna suk without them...3352 Celine Leroy, Cergy, France Merci à vous tous qui essayé de changer les choses et de proteger notre seul et unique habitat "pachamama". Et pour tous ceux qui non pas vu le film je les invite a le visionner vous y apprendrer bien des choses. Il y va aussi de notre survie et de celle de nos descendants. Bien a vous scarecrowinca.3351 Patricia Warnock, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Be an example, be a human being -- ban all shark fishing worldwide.3350 Adam Gravelle, Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada After watching the movie "Sharkwater" it made me angry to see what mankind was doing to the species. I think that it is wonderful that there are people out that dedicate their lives to saving a precious part of our world and future.3349 DJ Wyszomirski, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada 3348 Kenny Sime, Milton Keynes, Bucks, UK Australia - a country so diverse, so beautiful, a land full of the most wonderful, colourful creatures on this earth. Its people are recognised as lovers of all things natural, and most of them are. However it is beyond belief to discover that Australia allows shark fishing to take place in its waters. The shark is an extremely important species and without it a whole eco-system will perish. It's numbers are in rapid decline yet all we can do is stand by and watch, action must be taken. We urge the Australian government to ban shark fishing and allow these wonderful creatures to exist, to flourish, and to continue to fascinate us forever.3347 Not publicly disclosed, Charpey, Drome, France 3346 Sarah Holtermann, Roaillan, Aquitaine, France 3345 Kara Morgan, Greeenville, TN, USA With all of the other environmental issues we face as a universe ... your time and money would be better spent elsewhere and leave the Great Barrier Reef and the sharks alone. Shame on you!3344 Emily Arthurs, Golden, British Columbia, Canada Watch 'Sharkwater' the documentary for a fast understanding of the importance of this issue.3343 Natalie Lund, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 3342 Not publicly disclosed, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada How can any country respect a law that obliterates an entire species for no good reason? This is shocking and incredibly disturbing.3341 Mia Wyatt, Ellicott City, MD, USA 3340 Brittany Bymoen, Phoenix, AZ, USA 3339 Michael Pigneguy, Temple City, CA, USA "More than 100 million sharks are taken from the seas each year. For a group that has been around for the past 400 million years, sharks cannot survive this onslaught because most large sharks reach sexual maturity only at seven years, and then give birth to only a few pups each year. Research on the potential effects of the disappearance of sharks from selected ecosystems suggests that the consequences could be devastating for commercially and nutritionally important fishes. In the Hawaiian Reefs model, the removal of tiger sharks resulted in a crash in populations of tuna and jacks, due to a marked increase in seabirds, the shark's primary prey. In Chinese banquets, over 40 per cent of the meal cost comes from shark's fin soup. The challenge is to find restaurateurs who would take on the responsibility of saving sharks by sourcing an alternative dish which still allows them to sustain banquet profits. With China's 1.2 billion people gaining in affluence and holding to the tradition of shark's fin soup at celebrations, I don't give the 453 remaining species of sharks much of a chance.”3338 Not publicly disclosed, Ontario, Canada 3337 Ryan VandenBerg, Burlington, ON, Canada 3336 Shelley Brooks, Aurora, ON, Canada The practice of finning is inhumane and wasteful. It is our social responsibility to maintain the life and health of our waters. As a diver it sickens me how much we "rape" our ecosystem. We are barbaric as a whole. Have we not evolved? 3335 Not publicly disclosed, Toronto, ON, Canada Please stop it! 3332 Andrai Desormeaux, Toronto, ON, Canada Watch Sharkwater. 3327 Christopher Berdos, Bradenton, FL, USA We know for what we are doing, we can collectively change our wills and in the process save ourselves. Eliminate the market for shark fins and this nonsense will stop. As always the solutions are easy, the path to attain them complicated. 3326 Jennifer Kantor, Ventura, CA, USA ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO STOP!3325 Christopher Corsi, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada3324 Jennette Boone, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 3323 Sarah Malo, Toronto, ON, Canada I am appalled and outraged by the information presented in the documentary Sharkwater - I am however, grateful to have seen it and to now be informed and encourage others to speak out about saving the sharks. 3322 Elizabeth Hoogendyk, Campbellton, New Brunswick, Canada I don't know about you, but I'd like some fresh oxygen in my future. Stop killing the sharks! 3321 Not publicly disclosed, Swansea, Wales, UK Please stop shark fishing before its too late. 3320 Not publicly disclosed, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada It is disappointing to see the world point fingers at the Asian countries and condemn their lack of environmentalism while they are clearly no better. Allowing shark fishing to continue is deplorable and hypocritical. If Australia were to permit such legislation, it would most certainly affect my future choices about travel; I cannot support tourism in a country that is so morally confused. 3319 Rebecca Burrill, Ajax, ON, Canada Shark finning, is slowly wiping out an amazing unique creature and human actions are to blame. Sharks are not similar in the way of the global warming, there is no other alternative methods of creating sharks. They only have one chance, so lets give them a chance! 3316 Not publicly disclosed, Jacksonville, FL, USA Sharks are the most misunderstood, beautiful creatures on the planet. They deserve respect. They've been around so much longer than humans. They're amazing creatures and we can learn so much from them. They've evolved over millenia to be incredible creatures and sharp predators. We humans have only just begun to evolve; hopefully humans can evolve to respect these awesome creatures so they are around for thousands of years to come. I want my grandchildren to be able to see real sharks, not just pictures in a book. 3314 Soler Louis, Saint Mamert du Gard, Languedoc Roussillon, France I say No to any form of shark fishing. They need protection immediately. 3310 Caroline Williams, Adelaide, SA, Australia Protect our sharks & show that Australians truly are a nation that cares about its flora & fauna. Sharks (being an apex predator) play a vital role in the fragile marine ecosystem therefore we cannot afford to meddle with nature & they have to be protected at all costs. 3309 Bradley Dohnt, Adelaide, SA, Australia I'm ashamed an Australian government agency could consider such a unsustainable practice. With so many species, both marine and terrestrial under threat to engage in such a practice is yet another step backwards. 3308 Ashley Timlin, Barrie, ON, Canada It's time that human being takes its responsibility to protect our planet and stop the massacre of sharks, dolphins etc..I'm fed up to see the disaster that we do all around the world and our "fantastic" ability to destroy. 3306 Lauren Brownlie, Truro, Cornwall, UK By Law all shark finning should be made illegal and I for one will do everything in my power to make that a reality. 3301 Eric Lutz, Toronto, ON, Canada Knowing what we do about sharks why would you possibly even consider starting a shark fishery on the Great Barrier Reef? The reef itself is in enough danger from our society. What will happen to the world population of sharks. I'm appalled is all I can say. 3299 Sean Cosgrove, Nashville, TN, USA Stop filling your pockets and end this slaughter. 3298 Amber Richards, Guilderton, WA, Australia Don't destroy a tourism bonus whereby divers travel to the Great Barrier Reef to view and interact with sharks. 3293 Kevin Burrowes, Clarence Park, SA, Australia The world's shark populations are in critical decline. Shark fishing is cruel and destructive to the marine environment. 3292 Line Bergeron, Sault Ste Marie, ON, Canada ***Stop shark fishing and the shark fishing industry!*** *** Arrtons la pche aux requins et son industrie!*** 3291 Stephanie Lopez, Huntington, NY, USA I strongly oppose harming sea life in any way. 3290 Eric Goddard, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand Stop destroying the earth! We need the humble sharks to survive ourselves. Www.sharkwater.com 3285 Alison Clay, Nottingham, England We have to do something about this now, not tomorrow, not next week or next year, now. Ever second, minute and mile used to benefit sharks, WILL benefit humanity. 3282 Vincent Louail, Nantes, Loire Atlantique, France Stop killing them! 3280 Not publicly disclosed, London, England, UK Save the sharks. 3279 Stanley Dow, Norman, OK, USA Dear Sir, I would expect this from certain Asian countries but not from our friends!!! 3278 Fadhila Melliti, Paris,France Fell in love with a great white shark when I had 11 years m'obsdent since sharks because they fascinate me by their beauty, their power. People are afraid because they do not master the shark. Their response to this fear is the killings. The man has no right of life or death on an animal whatsoever! We must stop this carnage or introduce laws to punish abuse some powers. 3277 Stephanie Penev, Toronto, ON, Canada Few things I have seen in my life thus far have disturbed me as much as some of the scenes of senseless torture and killing of sharks and other sea creatures, in the documentary film Sharkwater. I cannot understand why more decisive action has not been taken as of yet, to stop the murder of these incredible animals, and in doing so protect our own fate as a species on this planet. That is not even the most critical aspect of this problem for me- the idea of mutilating a creature while it is still alive, and letting it die a slow torturous death, and seeming to enjoy it- this is the most revolting thing to me. It makes me ashamed to be a human being, the same species as the 'things'- as they can't be people- who do enact these injustices as a living. Absolutely despicable in every way. The more people see Sharkwater and become aware of this crisis, the better. I will do whatever I can to promote this issue among those I know. People can and must make an effort to make their living in some other way- there is simply to excuse for the blatant torture and murder of an entire species, to uphold the vapid and pathetic status quo of the Western lifestyle and the idea of the Western lifestyle- take what you can, when you can, however you can, at whatever cost to those around you. And especially do so if it will make you seem more important in other's eyes. What a shame. Greed and ignorance hold sway over this excuse for a society we've built according to Capitalist dogma. 3276 Not publicly disclosed, Sydney, NSW, Australia Stop Shark Fishing. 3275 Fabrice Barand, Lagny Sur Marne, France How can we kill our future? Are people so silly? Thanks to you to be here..... 3274 Rick Crawford, Pickering, ON, Canada Every little bit that is done to save all sharks is part of a giant step to preserve there right to be. We need them to be just as they are, not a trophy or a menu item. Please, STOP the slaughter. We can't turn back once they are gone. These are beautiful creatures that needed to be helped to prove to future generations that we were here and gave a damn. 3273 Not publicly disclosed, Bentonville, VA, USA This is not an Asian problem, this is a global problem. Sharks are being killed legally and illegally, largely unchallenged, from Australia to South Africa, Costa Rica to the Galapagos. You can find shark fin soup in restaurants from Seoul to Soho. Fish and chip shops in Australia sell shark meat under the guise of flake, in the UK they call it rock salmon. We all need to do everything we can to halt demand and challenge those who seek to open new shark fisheries. 90% of the worlds sharks have already been wiped out, now is the time to act to save the remaining 10%. Many people will be looking to Australia for strong leadership in this area; its time to decide where you stand, either with those who seek to exploit and plunder the world for short-term commercial gain, or to act with vision, responsibility and compassion to protect the world and all those who inhabit it. 3270 Not publicly disclosed, Cookstown, ON, Canada It appalls and scares me that the decisions of a few can have such a drastic affect on the entire world. Please be part of making a positive decision for the rest of the world and for the creatures of the sea. 3269 Thomas McGregor, Sydney, NSW, Australia Peter Garrett, you are an integral part of the government for which I voted. Push to ban the importation of shark fin to Australia. 3268 Christina Koehler, Marburg, Hessen, Germany No more fish finning!!! Let's help and ban ALL shark finning now!!! 3266 Henrik Dunr, Genarp, Sweden Hi !I am a Swedish electronic engineer and I have just watched Sharkwater, the movie. Last year I was in Malaysia and learned how to scuba dive. During my time there I continuously dived with sharks and have since developed a great respect and admiration for these wonderful creatures. If what I understand is correct, the shark population is decreasing and is facing imminent risk of extinction. This is not acceptable. Imagine the overwhelming slaughter of sharks just so that wealthy Chinese people can eat their precious soup and you can easily draw parallels to baby seal slaughter for their furs (which is now considered strongly unethical and is prohibited) and the hunt of rhinos for their horns (which is also prohibited). Why should mankind be allowed to treat sharks this way? I realise that I am just a small voice and that I am easily ignored. I implore you to listen to not just me, but listen to reason and realise, before it is too late, that action has to be taken. Protect the shark, for me and yourselves, for our planet and for the legacy we leave behind. Yours sincerely, Henrik Dunr. 3265 Nicky Andrews, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Sharks are beautiful. Don't you want your children and their children to be able to see a live shark too? 3264 Nathan Glasgow, Galena, IL, USA Overfishing of shark populations for profit and the inevitable destruction of ocean ecosystems is morally and ethically reprehensible. Especially with regards to finning which has no purpose as far as food sources and is only a way for wealthy people to prove their status. 3263 Sara Hedblom, Stockholm, Sweden Please preserve the pristine and beautiful sharks. 3262 Christine Bowes, Singapore Right now the Shark populations can not take shark finning. It would put your country and others in risks of depopulating all sharks. 3260 Crystal Beckmann, Semaphore Park, SA, Australia Please let's all save our sharks and be smart about caring for the oceans and ALL it's creatures! 3257 Eric Tremblay, Mt St-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada I cannot believe people can still do those things in 2008. 3256 Justin Widener, Bentonville, VA, USA Sharks never did anything intentionally to us. The only reason they bite us is because we look like potential prey. Once they taste us they spit us out because they know we can't supply the energy they need. You hardly ever hear about sharks going back and eating the whole body. When they bite and shake us thats when people might lose a body part. Most people die from blood loss. So we shouldn't kill these incredible animals they have their spot in the meaning of life just like us. I find it cruel to kill these sharks because they don't live to die they live to swim the beautiful, peaceful oceans. 3255 Not publicly disclosed, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Stop killing sharks! Stop killing the ocean! And stop killing the earth! 3253 Not publicly disclosed, Cambridge, MA, USA It's time we start taking action against the unnecessary killing of sharks. As an Asian, I really feel utmost sadness over this nonsensical 'tradition' we've got of having shark fins on every wedding dinner table. It really is time we put an end to all this killing and destroying of this world and the beautiful things we have in it.. 3247 Karin Davis, Bangor, Down, Northern Ireland It is disgusting and sick the way we are allowing our seas to be decimated, endangering our OWN survival and acting God over other living things! 3244 Not publicly disclosed, Salzburg, Austria I am deeply concerned about the worldwide depletion of sharks from over fishing, having watched 'Sharkwater'. I think that this will have a very marked impact on global warming as the sharks are the top of the food chain. It has been observed in other eco systems that when the top predators are endangered then the eco system is destroyed for instance in the absence of lions on the savanna plains of Africa lead the overpopulation of cattle who then damage the savanna by over grazing. This will happen tho the plankton, which provides most of the worlds oxygen. Shark conservation may be the key to preventing the destruction of the planet. 3242 Tim Nicol, Perth, WA, Australia Targeting slow breeding apex predators in a world heritage area already impacted by agriculture, fishing and climate change is unnecessary, irresponsible and simply insane. Like all large fish, shark populations are in peril, they need a sanctuary on the Great Barrier Reef. People should realize that sharks are really intelligent animals and they exist for a reason. Remember people the sharks have existed for more than 400 million years and they are the only animal that have stayed the same for so long. The mankind should stop being the top predator and let the sharks continue being the top predator. Stop killing the sharks and START SAVING THEM! 3236 Andrew Campbell, Toronto, ON, Canada With ocean life sustainability already approaching negative critical mass, this is not only endangering the lives of shark populations and all ecosystems that depend on them, but human lives as well. To damage this ecosystem damages ours, and the amount of clean oxygen produced. 3235 Not publicly disclosed, Millbrook, ON, Canada Ignorance can be fixed. wake up people, our lives depend on the ocean, why does it always take a catastrophic event to make anyone change...WAKE UP BEFORE WE CAN'T EVER AGAIN. 3229 Erin Kristoff, Saddle Brook, NJ, USA I find it disgusting that the biggest threat facing an animal that has survived no less than three earth-changing events (i.e. Ice Age), is the fact that their fin is a sign of prestige in soup. 3228 Michael Campeau, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada Gross. I just finished watching the documentary 'Sharkwater' and I am still shocked by some of the things I saw on that movie. Anything I can do to help fight against the killing of innocent sharks- I will. I am only 13, yet even I know the differences from wrong and right, and what is happening out there in the world is definitely wrong. 3221 John Stevenson, Keith, Moray, Scotland Don't allow this inhumane practise to continue; put a stop to the killing and support marine conservation. 3220 Stefan Therond, Mougins, France Over centuries mankind has excelled in one thing... Slaughter. When would this stop?? 3219 Nicole Shorrock, Vancouver, BC, Canada Stop shark finning, stop slaughtering sharks! We need them in our oceans, they are vital to the survival of our oceans. Shark finning is inhumane. Please, stop and think about what you are doing! Get informed, learn about it, you will see that stopping shark finning is the right thing to do. Do the right thing, stop shark finning! 3217 Amy Stewart, Wetumpka, AL, USA Sharks are the greatest. 3214 Craig McTavish, North Vancouver, BC, Canada Stop the senseless murder of these amazing creatures! 3211 Michelle Harrison, Collingwood, ON, Canada Le plus grand predateur de l'homme c'est..l'homme. 3207 Jill Morton, Maple Ridge, BC, Canada Save the sharks and the reef. Outlaw shark fishing and restore their population to a sustainable level! 3203 Not publicly disclosed, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland Don't do it!! 3198 Antonius Steven, Perth, WA, Australia Shark finning in Great Barrier Reef??? This is outrageous mate. Where did you get the idea from? Totally opposed to the idea. 3197 Heather Demers, Dover, NH, USA SAVE THE SHARK! 3196 Amber Spitzer, Hanover Park, IL, USA Stop the shark fishing, and finning. You are killing beautiful and extraordinary animals for no reason. we are killing the world ourselves and a life long species!!!! 3195 Not publicly disclosed, Toronto, ON, Canada To save humanity we need to save our ecosystem... Killing sharks is killing humans... where is your "superior intelligence"???? 3190 Not publicly disclosed, Mountain Home AFB, ID, USA Shark finning is a horrible and damaging act, that if not stopped, will forever damage our ecosystem and way of life. 3188 Leanne Chadwick, Perth, WA, Australia Pecher le requin pour y prelever uniquement des petits morceaux est tous simplement scandaleux. De plus elle contribut a exterminer d'innombrables autres especes (peche a la palangre). Et ce, pour entretenir le delire de certaines nations qui attachent peu d'importance aux differents milieux naturels. Des joyaux qui ont mis des milliers d'annees a se creer et qui vont n'en mettre que quelques dizaines pour s'appauvrir et disparaitre.c'est dsolent. J'espere q'un jour l'homme prendra conscience de ses actes et se mobilisera face a ces abus aux enjeux financiers colossal engendr par des gens denu de toute moralit.Bravo a ceux qui combattent activement a la perservation de ces milieux naturels. 3184 Jessica Urquhart, White Rock, BC, Canada 3183 Angela Page, Ross on Wye, Herefordshire, EnglandI believe Steve Irwin taught the world that Australia IS conservation, in full-on action. Please don't destroy his wonderful and inspiring legacy. 3182 Alex Plonczak, Los Alamos, NM, USA I do not understand why individuals feel the need to hurt the very things that help them to survive in this world. Everything that exists helps keep the ecosystem in balance when people disturb this balance then their will always be repercussions People tend to do what they need to do to make a living however I feel like they don't always think about the impact their decision will make..it is like a domino effect; what one person chooses to do will always affect someone or something else no matter how minimal your decision may be. That is why our decisions should be carefully considered before taking action - we should always consider our options and not always think about how to make a quick buck. If someone does not make a stand and protect our seas and all marine life then it will have a very devastating impact on us all eventually. Look at our "go green" efforts - why did it take the government so long to act on something that has been going on for years..why did it take so long for them to respond? Everyone should think about the future and what we can do to improve it. 3179 Michael Dorer, Fremont, CA, USA Shark populations cannot sustain the current level of fishing as it is. Please do not allow more. 3178 Dana Johnson, Chicago, IL, USA This has to stop, it's not a sustainable economy. The sharks have to be protected or at least the fisheries limited. 3175 Not publicly disclosed, Toulouse, France how ignorant of those to add to the devastation .. how sad a world we have shaped. 3171 Adam Turner, Seattle, WA, USA When you choose money over life, your ignorance is only surpassed by your ability to willingly support your own demise. 3167 Victoria McFarlane, Hamilton, ON, Canada How dare they! With the help of others we can stop such a terrible thing as this. 3165 Carol Horvath, Columbus, OH, USA We can't let this tragedy go on any longer. We're already losing sharks as it is. 3162 Not publicly disclosed, Oswego, NY, USA Sharks are necessary in the maintenance and stability of all the worlds oceans. Please help keep our ocean's ecosystem healthy and sustainable. God Bless. Joe Benzing 3161 Kaitlyn McKee, Kapaa, HI, USA Any attempt to license shark fishing at the Barrier Reef is an embarrassment to your great country! 3154 Markus Peters, Herzogenrath, NRW, Germany Shame on you!!!!! 3153 Deborah Kemp, Sydney, NSW, Australia I ask that you take the future of the ecosystem, as well as the future of society into consideration and re-evaluate the commercial fishing laws. 3145 Ginnene Taylor, London, England, UK Stop shark finning, the public can pressure you but you are the ones who have the power to make it stop. If the sharks vanish from our seas, we could possibly lose the largest creator of oxygen due to the collapse of the ecosystem. act now before its too late.... 3144 Not publicly disclosed, Carqueiranne, France i have been a scuba diver all my life and have seen the decline in wildlife on the reefs in the last 30 years. Please do not add to the serious and disturbing ocean problems by targeting yet another species. We ALL have to live on this planet and sharks are an important part of our eco-system. I have always wanted to dive the great barrier reef and will be more likely to spend the $ to do so if i can view the beautiful sharks. 3141 Terry Tayler, Vancouver, BC, Canada It's just disgusting. Moreover they're sometimes using dogs for fishing! 3134 Bear Drew, Canberra, ACT, Australia I want to save the sharks and have been trying to. It's a heart break to me..and Australia where I live is a country of shame like the Asian countries who fin sharks. Watching the movie Sharkwater and the Sea Shepherd is a true person (the captain) its unlike any movie I have ever seen. 3133 Not publicly disclosed, Gttingen, Niedersachsen, Germany After seeing Rob Stewart's 'Sharkwater' I have become utterly enlightened to sharks. I am now in love with these ancient, strong and regal beings and commend all peoples advocating for their highest protection and survival. They MUST prevail in our waters as the true queen and kings they are! 3128 Aleks Wetzlich, Enmore, NSW, Australia I have spent the past few months sending many letters and petitions on to various parliamentary representatives in regard to this issue. Some of them have even written back. However for all the retorts offered by the politicians, those of us worried about the impact of the QLD Government's proposals regarding shark fishing are more worried than ever. For one thing: many people have been misguided into thinking that shark finning is allowed in Australia. It is illegal to shark fin at sea. The entire carcass must come to land. As some people have misunderstood this, the government is now disregarding the opinions of the people presuming that we do not know what we are fighting for. What we are demanding in Australia and especially on the GBR is the near total ban on both commercial and recreational shark fishing until adequate and long term research has been carried out to determine the impact that our industry has on these apex predators. We need to place a total ban on the trade of shark fin both in and out of Australia, thereby removing demand. In this way our fishing industry will move away from continuing to deplete the populations of shark species in our waters. Right now we have no visibility or understanding of what we are doing to these creatures and by extension, the marine environment. For what... soup? 3127 Rebekah Booth, Mentone, Victoria, Australia Please stop the barbaric practice of shark finning and legislate to protect these beautiful animals for future generations. We are tourists who care how governments deal with environmental issues. We loved our visit of your country. Please ban the shark fishing in the entire Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is your treasure to preserve! 3125 Anthony Vaccaro, Davenport, FL, USA Help save our world for our children. 3121 Not publicly disclosed, Chicopee, MA, USA I have visited the Great Barrier Reef to free dive on many occasions, and was under the impression much of it was a Marine Reserve. I am appalled that any creatures can be killed in a Marine Reserve, and given the importance to the ecosystem of the Reef of Sharks, cannot understand how the Australian Govt could allow shark fishing. It does nothing for the 'image' of the Reef as a marine reserve. 3117 Jason Nylund, Kitchener, ON, Canada I just watched the movie Sharkwater... My family and I were planning a vacation to Australia, but now that we see shark fishing is not banned we will not be visiting your country. It is time to stand up and show that sharks need to be protected. Until then we will spend our money elsewhere. 3116 Suarez Isabelle, Val de Reuil, France C'est horrible arrtons ce massacre. De quel droit s'impose t on des rgles naturelles que l'on franchit sans toute impunit!! Battons nous contre le gouvernement corrompu du Costa Rica et con la consommation des ailerons des pays asiatiques! 3115 Yorick Hocking, Paris, France Shark is life. Destroying an animal for any reason is wrong and should be stopped regardless of the costs. 3112 Caroline Geno, Montreal, Quebec, Canada "If a man aspires towards a righteous life, his first act of abstinence is from injury to animals." --Albert Einstein-- 3110 Anthony Anello, Sydney, NSW, Australia The greatest species in the world and Australian government wants to be apart of the extinction.... not very Australian if u ask me! Let alone sane! 3109 Megan Livingston, Vail, AZ, USA Please take this seriously. The short term gain from shark finning is ABSOLUTELY unsustainable. Think beyond your election term!! 3107 Not publicly disclosed, Coatesville, PA, USA Be smart, don't ruin one of the worlds greatest treasures 3106 Olivier Arnaudet, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Stop eating shark fins! 3104 Lorraine Blyth, Helensburgh, Argyll & Bute, Scotland Madness utter madness, have Australians ever heard of the food chain and what will happen when these predators are taken from the top?? 3101 Not publicly disclosed, Akron, OH, USA Protect the sharks otherwise you will destroy the eco-balance of the oceans! Your Tourism depends on it because I plan on coming down to see and dive with the sharks...If they are gone then you lost the thousands of dollars I would have contributed to your economy!!! Think about the $$$ you will lose...and the damage that can't be repaired. George Booth 3098 Laina Ford, Goodlettsville, TN, USA It is inhumane to be killing Sharks for their fins. Ban ALL shark fishing. Be a leader, do what is right! 3096 Kate Thompson, Toronto, ON, Canada I can't believe that the Australian government will open the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to any fishing, let alone sharks. As a dive instructor in Cairns I know how much that industry brings into the country. People dive in Australia just because it is the GBR! 3092 Sally Fozard, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada Protect all species in the barrier reef !!! 3090 Krista LePak, Saint Paul, MN, USA Please take action to outlaw the practice of long line shark fishing along the Great Barrier Reef. The senseless killing of sharks along with all the other sea life caught in this cruel process merely to sell fins to ignorant Asians is destroying eco-systems and contributing to global warming by disrupting the production of oxygen not to mention driving one of the oldest species on Earth to extinction. We love Australia and diving the reef but will not support countries that are irresponsible with vital global resources. 3088 Mlinda Khiari, Lille, France Enfant, j'ai toujours t fascine par les requins et n'ai jamais vraiment compris et maintenant accepter la haine exprime pour les requins. J'ai rapidement visionne le film et je n'ai eu que des confirmations et une suite de rvoltes, d'o la signature de votre ptition. Le milieu marin est un univers magique regorgeant de beauts et de ressources pour toutes les espces, notre berceau...Restons actifs et confiants! Mlinda khiari. 3087 Sandy Rusch, Palatine, IL, USA SAVE THE SHARKS!!!! 3083 Timothy Counihan, Penge, London, UK This is so heartless. Ban the killing of sharks before it is too late. 3078 Not publicly disclosed, Bordeaux, Gironde, France Am going on holiday to Queensland next month. Had I known the government was taking this decision at a time when shark populations are so low I would not have booked this holiday. 3075 Sophie Reinhold, Versailles, France Stop it now, or be judged by history. 3072 Philippe Ducreux, Loyettes, Ain, France Please save the sharks Australia, USA is counting on you to help!!3068 Herbert Escher, Basel, Switzerland, Switzerland Can't we leave this shark population control to the sharks themselves - whales included - they'd do it certainly better than we. They did it long before man "ruled" the seas ! 3067 Bruce Terrill, Wendouree, Victoria, Australia I visit Qld regularly for diving. If they implement this program, I will spend my money at Ningaloo instead...Absolutely ridiculous to protect the endangered Grey Nurse Shark and declare 'open season' on all others...Typical of money driven bureaucrats in Parliament. 3066 Tyler Bonchek, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada Greed will kill us all. 3064 Not publicly disclosed, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Save the sharks and the ocean eco-system!! 3063 Mason O'Dell, Point Clear Bay, Essex, UK Stop it! 3062 Brett Olson, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA I will forever support bans on all species of shark! They are vital to our oceans' ecosystems and are beautiful, graceful animals. 3061 Corey Brehm, Thurmont, MD, USA Thank you for all the things you do to try to make a difference in this world. It's only because of people like you that we may live in a normal world in the future. 3057 Rodolfo Serrano, Caracas, Miranda, Venezuela Please don't let these beautiful creatures become extinct! 3048 Not publicly disclosed, Lisbon, Portugal Stop killing our natural wonders. Shark finning is possibly one of the most repugnant, unsustainable practices of human beings I have ever encountered. 3044 Not publicly disclosed, Gembloux, Namur, Belgium These animals have been on the earth for 450 million years. They deserve to be here as much as we do. Please help to keep these magnificent animals alive. They are here for a reason!!! 3040 Melissa Loera, Whittier, CA, USA Is the Australian state and federal government willing to follow other less progressive countries and allow the shark declines seen around the world to also occur in our most valued marine environment - the Great Barrier Reef is under enough stress - this proposal is ludicrous. 3038 Robyn Smith, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada As a person with a Australian mother and one who has visited your country a few times I would like to return to the country again knowing that it has not been a part of this horrible industry and I would like to see the Great Barrier Reef in all it's glory, when I was a kid, on my first visit, we where not allowed out on the reef because of bad weather. Please ban shark fishing in your country for all the reasons in this petition and for my own dream to visit the reef one day and see it as it would have been 20 years ago. Thank you. 3037 Chris Rollason, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales We were planning on going diving at the Great Barrier Reef - we won't now! 3036 Eleanor Belcher, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales How can Australia think about authorizing shark fishing? You are a huge country with lots of biologists, environmentalists who exactly know the consequences of killing the sharks. YOU KNOW the consequences! Killing the sharks will destroy the balance in the oceans. Sharks are not our enemies, they kill less than 10 people in a year in the whole world. 90 per cent of the sharks have already been killed, please don't allow the slaughter in your beautiful country. Please protect them, for each of us and for our children. Thank you for reading me Antonin (Diver and shark lover). 3034 Slawomir Marecik, Chicago, IL, USA Shark finning is an absolute disgrace. 3030 Juliet Pawelski, Mechanicsburg, PA, USA Sharks are integral to our survival and the survival of many ocean species. Take out such an important factor in the ocean food web and we will destroy our hopes of saving the ocean all together. 3029 Not publicly disclosed, Talmont St Hilaire, Vende, France This is an outrage! I am disgusted that the Queensland Govt has even proposed this! We need to protect our sharks, not destroy them! 3027 Not publicly disclosed, Sydney, NSW, Australia I cannot believe that this proposal is even being considered! This is an outrage! We need to protect sharks, not promote their destruction. There is no justification for shark fishing - It serves only to feed the appalling industry of shark finning. 3026 Rose Muter, Vancouver, BC, Canada Please stop the senseless killing of these innocent creatures. 3025 Daniel Clancy, Victoria, BC, Canada Save the sharks! 3017 Yolandi Muller, George, Cape Province, South Africa The countries of the southern hemisphere should stand together to ban the senseless killing of sharks for their fins or anything else - this is having a detrimental effect on other creatures in the ocean and also on the ocean's delicate ecosystem. Stop thinking about your own pockets and start thinking about future generations and the state of our oceans. How can you, Australia, of all countries, with such amazing natural beauty, especially in a place like the Great Barrier Reef, allow this sort of thing? And to sharks who are now facing extinction! This is disgraceful! 3016 Tania Hynes, Brampton, Ontario, Canada Respect All Life! 3015 Leto Full, Ballina, NSW, Australia Money is what people are after regardless of consequences. If a politician has a record of keeping economy growing till he is replaced he has done his job a good job. If the environment is in the way of this it will suffer. The logging in Tasmania is a prime example ''Hey look there is a 300 year old forest, I bet if we pay off some people we can make millions by chopping it down and making it into wood chips'', ''The politician puts his hand out''. If the decisions made by the money hungry ignorant idiots that get voted in would be in the interests on the environment instead of money this place would be far better off. I mean we are still burning coal for electricity! They spend weeks debating over different ways to reduce fuel prices while they only get higher . I mean ''Fuel watch'' reducing the fuel prices but 5 cents a litre, all this money could be put towards more important things like the strong enforcement of the Great Barrier Reef. They are more concerned with illegal immigrants. I feel so powerless the governments, corporations and essentially money is running this world.....into the ground. Ban the killing of sharks enforce the laws that are put forward. In Australia we have the power and the money to do something. Our economy is strong we do not need to kill sharks to feed our families. Without sustainable ecosystems especially in the oceans ''the life support system of our planet'' there will be nothing left and then what will we do with our money? Burn it to keep warm? 3014 Natalie Skipworth, London, England, UK Australia is one of the world's largest reservoirs of biological diversity, and as such it should be setting a better example than this. I hope that Queensland loses a sizable portion of their tourism industry, should this fishery become a reality. I certainly would not travel to Queensland or Australia altogether if that is the case. 3009 Jonathan Slaney, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Be a man, do the right thing. 3008 Laurent Baud, Marseille, 13 France I have visited Australia three times to swim/snorkel and dive with sharks. Your marine resources are vital and precious to us all. Please don't destroy them for short term profit. In the end we all pay. 3006 Not publicly disclosed, Cessy, Ain, France Diving with sharks on the Great Barrier Reef was one of the most amazing things I have experienced in my life. Declaring open season on sharks would be one of the most foolish things the Queensland government could do. It would not only damage tourism but destroy the fragile reef environment. I love Australia and plan to visit many more times, but Queensland will be off the list if this practice is allowed. 3004 Shital Patel, New York, NY, USA With limited enforcement resources on a tremendous geographic area, faulty stock size data and terrible life history traits for fishing, it is obvious that a shark fishery is asking for shark population collapse. Please protect one of the most vulnerable groups of fishes. 3002 Not publicly disclosed, Marleston, SA, Australia Stop the shark finning!!!!!!!! 3000 Eanes Lori, San Francisco, CA, USA I think we could end this practice of killing sharks for their fins by educating people. We need a huge media effort to show people the cruelty and barbaric nature of this practice. I say a huge media blitz in Asian countries. 2999 E Davies, Perth, WA, Australia I think it is important that more people realize the terrible impact the horrific slaughtering of sharks is having on our world. Not only is it cruel and inhumane, the loss in numbers of sharks could leave our Earth seriously damaged. Surely there is a way to stop this horrific act... I don't understand how people can allow it to continue to happen. 2998 Frank Wank, Flowery Branch, GA, USA Ban all shark fishing in the great barrier reef now!!!! Sharks should not be fished anywhere!!! Use fisherman for chum for shark dives! 2997 Sloane Kusmack, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada I just finished watching Sharkwater, and it was one of the most eye-opening movies I've ever seen. I want to do as much as I can to help the sharks. Are people oblivious to the fact that they're killing themselves by doing this? No I guess not because money means everything to some people. Money is more important to some people than some of the better things in like, like eating a salad instead of some disgusting shark fin soup. Well thanks and I hope this all starts to change soon. 2995 Joëlle Henry, Apples, Vaud, Suisse I am shocked that Australia would let shark fishing take place on the GBR. This gives Australia a black eye. Please reverse your decision. 2993 Not publicly disclosed, Wrzburg, Bavaria, Germany Australia government needs to understand that shark fishing in the Great Barrier Reef is not sustainable long term. 2989 Rebecca Freudenberg, Gttingen, Germany Fish, especially sharks, are Friends. Not Food! 2988 Sue Rutledge, Orangeville, Ontario, Canada I am strongly opposed to shark fishing in the great barrier reef. Sharks need to be protected now before it is too late and the damage to the ocean is unrecoverable. Shark finning should be banned worldwide immediately. 2987 Tiffany DeGroote, Toronto, Ontario, Canada I spent much time in Queensland as a student in Brisbane, and would hate to see the reefs depleted of their natural shark population. 2984 Cottret Isabelle, Paris, France Please help us save these beautiful creatures. I want so badly for my children to know and love sharks. 2980 Scott Strandlund, Victoria, BC, Canada If we don't do something soon we will be losing some of the most amazing creatures on earth. Sharks have been so misunderstood and its time we start to listen to our experts and save this species from our own stupidity. 2979 Jarrod Page, Flowery Branch, GA, USA Humans have almost eradicated the sharks, an apex predator that has existed here for over 400 million years!! Human greed knows no bounds. I just hope there are more people like Capt. Paul in the world!! Please save the sharks and kill some greedy fisherman!!! 2978 Alastair Sweetman, London, England, UK Australia is viewed as a country which cares about not only its own environment but the world's. Sharks are a CRITICAL part of the ocean's ecosystems. It will damage our environment and reputation, especially as an eco-tourism destination, to allow shark fishing to continue. 2976 Not publicly disclosed, London, England, UK Please help to preserve our oceans and everything living in it. 2965 Gavin Simpson, Abbotsford, BC, Canada We need to do more before the damage cannot be undone. 2964 Kathy Whitaker, Port Huron, MI , USA I am surprised to see Australia allowing the destruction of one of the earths most beautiful places. I have always thought of Australia as a place of eco friendly/smart government. Steve Irwin would be spinning in his grave. 2959 Phil and Deirdre Marr, Dallas, TX, Show Sharkwater in schools! 2953 Alexandre De Bruyn, Saint-Remy-Les-Chevreuse, France Please leave the sharks for the divers to see. Not to eat. 2945 Not publicly disclosed, New Zealand Stop this barbaric practice. 2944 Nikki Coates Mayfield, NSW, Australia This issue cannot be ignored! 2943 Izera Yoann Abidjan, Ivory Coast Sharks are beautiful; please don't let them be destroyed for money. 2935 Not publicly disclosed, SA, Australia Shark fishing is morally wrong and will have catastrophic consequences if allowed to continue. 2931 Not publicly disclosed, Auckland, New Zealand I am shocked that Australia would even consider opening up one of their most beautiful diving spots to allow shark fishing. 2930 Grayson Kelly Edmonton, Alberta, Canada As humans we spend so much time and money trying to save each other yet completely ignore the things in nature that are already keeping us alive for free. Don't make your future relatives despise you for not doing anything now. 2928 Not publicly disclosed, New Zealand Please note I saw the movie Sharkwater in July 2008 and agree that the survival of sharks and other marine wildlife is crucial to the survival of oxygen for human beings and insist Australia listens to groups like Rob Stewart and the Sea Shepard crew, as they are the groups I will support for the rest of my life next to the SPCA. Australia has a great SPCA. So let's see it support the survival of sharks and whales, etc. 2925 Not publicly disclosed, Newfoundland, Canada Be a leader and protect sharks before it is too late. 2921 Vicky Longland San Jose, Costa Rica It has been a life long dream of mine to dive in the Great Barrier Reef and swim with the sharks and numerous other marine animals that reside there. I have always respected and loved the way Australia seems to be at the forefront of conservation and I am deeply saddened to hear about these intended shark fisheries. Please consider the dwindling shark populations worldwide and keep the Great Barrier Reef as a sanctuary for these precious and vital creatures. 2918 Carl Lutz Dallas, TX, USA Stop the madness! 2915 Not publicly disclosed, SA, Australia I sincerely hope that common sense will prevail and we ban all forms of shark fishing in Australia. 2912 Sophie Jeanneau Saintes, Charente Maritime, France STOP SHARK FISHING IN THE GREAT BARRIER REEF! 2910 Amanda Demaskey Marietta, GA, USA Through my diving experiences I have come to realize that sharks are among one of the most beautiful and graceful creatures God has created. They deserved to be saved. 2909 Daphne Stenka Overland Park , KS, USA All killing of an animals should be stopped. They are just like us trying to survive in a cruel world. 2908 Marcus Martin Phoenix, AZ, USA Even though I live nowhere near the Great Barrier Reef, I do agree that sharks play an essential role in the maintenance of the delicate ocean ecosystem. By studying sharks in their natural habitats many new discoveries can be made. For example, several scientists have created a type of shark repellant by using the rotting meat of a dead shark. It turns out that sharks hate the smell of other dead sharks. Discoveries such as this can continue but only if there are sharks left to study. Seeing as how the Great Barrier Reef is one of the world's top populated areas of marine life, it would be wise to preserve its members for their benefit as well as ours. 2906 Jessica Keller Vancouver, BC, Canada While I am not a resident of Australia I am saddened by the decision to allow shark fishing. We are near crisis status with the diminishing number of sharks. To allow fishing would diminish their numbers even further. Before we realize it we will have wiped out a creature which has survived for millions of years. Let's not do this! 2902 Jennifer Altop Grand Junction, CO, USA I am adamantly opposed to the fishing/hunting of sharks under any circumstances. When will we ever understand the ecological need for predators in our world and ovecome the phobia we have concerning sharks? We need the top of the food chain predators as much or more than anything else on this planet to keep it as healthy as we can. We have still not learned that eliminating naturally evolved animals in their own habitat makes any perceived problem worse and throws nature out of balance. Remember - predation is nature's organizing principle not man's interference. We have (beyond) decimated the world shark population already. Do you really think that this proposed hunt will change anything that the ongoing slaughter has not? The answer is a categorical "No." 2896 Eric Sanderson Mount Dora, FL, USA Sharkwater was a great movie regardless if its a shark, whale, dolphin, etc. Why would anyone cause pain and harm an animal and leave them for dead? 2894 Guarino Laurent Rabat, Morocco I want to believe!!! 2893 Not publicly disclosed, ON, Canada Stop à la dévastation des ecpèces sous-marines dans le monde. 2891 Pauline Bozon Grenoble, France Stop la dvastation ocanique et maritime dans le monde. 2890 Johanna Arnold Wchtersbach, Hessen, Germany You have the choice!! Think about it!!! 2886 Debra Jappy West Vancouver, BC, Canada Please think about the future and make the correct choice. 2885 Rebecca Harrison San Antonio, TX, USA Have we become so greedy for money that we're willing to push an important species to extinction just to have it? 2884 Not publicly disclosed, San Jose, Costa Rica The impact of the loss of sharks to the global ecology will not truly be felt untill it is too late. Please save the sharks. 2882 Trish Gargano Hamilton, ON, Canada When will people learn? 2881 Not publicly disclosed, BC, Canada Sharks are a critical part to our eco-system and allowing shark fishing could be "hammering the last nail in out own coffins." 2878 Jason Ippolito Babylon, NY, USA Shark finning and fishing is cruel! 2877 Lauren Fuhs Riverhead, NY, USA Shark fishing and finning is not only ecologically damaging, it is extremely CRUEL! 2876 Not publicly disclosed, NSW, Australia I have never cried so hard about death in my entire life. The images and footage I saw in documentaries such as Sharkwater made me feel ill. Watching a shark sinking to the bottom of the ocean without fins or tails but still alive is the most upsetting and disturbing thing I have ever seen. How could anyone possibly let any living thing die in such a horrible way. I just can't sit back and watch it happen. It's time to take real action. 2871 Phil Chang Vancouver, BC, Canada I would love to visit Australia and dive the Great Barrier Reef one day but without a healthy shark population the entire reef structure is compromised. Please think seriously about protecting the resources of your oceans!! 2870 Thomas Cynthia Drummondville, Quebec, Canada We have to stop the killing of Sharks. They are beautiful and highly important creatures to this world. 2868 Amanda Gregory Mossman, Queensland, Australia Our Customs marine unit work hard to stop nationalities coming into Australian waters and fishing for shark fin and other species and generally trying to stop others trashing our waters; how could we possibly even think of allowing these practises to become law in our own beautiful Barrier reef? 2867 Julie Kickirillo San Antonio, TX, USA Please stop killing sharks. 2866 Not publicly disclosed, NL, Canada Act now!!!! Before Australia loses its shark population, jeopardizes its lucrative tourism industry and forever tarnishes its stature as an environmental leader. 2864 Felicia Tompkins Tempe, AZ, USA We must stop before its too late for the ocean and for ourselves. 2859 Lee Nevitt Birmingham, England, UK Stop shark hunting! Stop shark finning! Save the planet now not tomorrow! 2857 Not publicly disclosed, ON, Canada Come together. Inspire and create change. Save the sharks. 2854 Laura Brands Walnut Creek, CA, USA Follow French Polynesia's lead! Protect your sharks for the ecosystem's sake and for the tourism dollars! 2853 Azadeh Sabour Toronto, ON, Canada I am so disturbed by this. Please stop the finning and useless killing of sharks. 2852 Joe Krein Saugerties, NY, USA We urge Australia to:--ban ALL shark fishing immediately throughout the entire the Great Barrier Reef area--establish sustainable catch limits elsewhere that are based on sound research--vigorously enforce those policies. 2851 David Forster London, ON, Canada Stop before its to late!!!! 2850 Not publicly disclosed, CO, USA SHARKS WILL GO EXTINCT WITHOUT YOUR IMMEDIATE HELP! 2849 Not publicly disclosed, ON, Canada Just watched the movie 'Sharkwater' - it was awesome! 2847 Bordier Jean-sbastien Blois, Loir et Cher, France Sommes nous devenu des monstres pour massacrer ces tres vivants? Contre le pouvoir de l'argent et le gnocide des requins opposons notre amour de la Vie. 2846 Stephanie Toups Port Orange, FL, USA Killing sharks is truly unessesary. The amount that is being killed is ridiculus. I watched Sharkwater and it has truly changed my life. Rob Swewart is my idol and hero. I appreciate everything he has done and continues to do. 2844 Maura Wheeler Hamden, CT, USA Please do something before its too late. You have the power to change things; dont waste time. 2841 Ryan Arthurson Cairns, Queensland, Australia I am devastated and appalled to hear that my own government is promoting shark fishing. I am disgusted. 2840 Asma Grissa Saint Pierre, France S'il vous plat sauvez les requins leur espce est l'une des plus indispensables la vie sur Terre. Leur extermination est aussi celle de l'cosystme marin et de notre environnement! Il faut agir le plus vite possible! 2839 Alexandra Lanni Richmond Hill, ON, Canada Our world will not continue if we don't start to protect sharks, even if it means we lose profit. 2836 Raquel Quitana-Gitsham South San Francisco, CA, USA Sharks are important to our world specially now that global warming is a big thing. They have a big role and we cannot live without them. The amount of oxygen given out by the ocean is controled by keeping a good ecosystem in them; let the sharks live and do their thing. They were created for a reason!! 2835 Not publicly disclosed, ON, Canada I love sharks and I have to tell you that it's a tragedy that sharks are being killed all around the world just for their fins. People need to realize that the one thing that we fear the most is the one thing that we can't live without. We need sharks. People need to wake up and realize that this is a major problem; I mean since the 1930's the shark population has dropped 95%. They just think, 'oh they're doing us a favor by killing sharks' but really they are just helping destroy the earth. So we need to step up and do something about it. I know I am. 2833 Not publicly disclosed, NB, Canada Extinct is forever. The ocean belongs to the fishies! 2828 Kim Caradec, Montreuil, France I am appalled by your government's decision to allow a shark industry to exist in Australia. As a youth I travelled and worked in Australia. The highlight of my time was the time I spent diving the Great Barrier Reef. I am absolutely disgusted that Australia permits this. What a terrible black stain on Australia's place on the world stage. What a legacy you are leaving for the inheritors of your actions. I consider all of the Australians who travel and work abroad, especially in Canada, the warm reception offered to your countrymen is over. 2825 Not publicly disclosed, Reading, Berkshire, UK Sharks are an important part of the ecosystem. Kill them off & ruin the balance of the ecosystem. 2823 Russell Robertson, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Sharks are far too important to our own survival and shark fishing/finning is far too barbaric and disgusting. 2822 Andrew OConnor, Burlington, VT, USA The time to act is now. 2821 Not publicly disclosed, Reading, Berkshire, UK Every creature has the right to live peacefully and away from harm. PLEASE spare the lives of the sharks! 2819 Steven Tennent, Glasgow, Strathclyde, UK Ignorance has played a major part in bringing the planet to an unsustainable brink. But what is more frustrating is once someone gains knowledge of an eco-threatening reality, they will fail to change their habits which would actually help and potentially reverse the problem. We really need to wake up NOW to act upon what we find out and to affect change especially to our daily lives. A great nation such as Australia must lead by example! Please ban shark fishing immediately! 2817 Not publicly disclosed, Le Pre St Gervais, Ile de France, France This is ridiculous and disgusting! Save the beautiful reef and all of it's amazing wildlife! 2814 Not publicly disclosed, Santa Barbara, CA, USA I am so disappointed that this is even being considered. How can Australia contemplate shark hunting (thats what it is), let alone shark hunting on the Barrier Reef!!! I am appalled we would risk the Barrier Reef for anything let alone minimal commerical gain. 2810 John McInerney, Rochdale, Lancashire, UK PLEASE! 2808 Elizabeth Watkins, Gwent, South Wales, UK Sharks are a resource that belongs to the entire world. They also seem to be critical to the balance in the world's oceans which are critical to life on earth. Please protect them. 2806 Emelie Andersson, Skara, Vstragtaland, Sweden I wonder when people will finally realize that by killing off sharks they're severely damaging eco-systems which in turn one day will be fatal to us. To be honest who are we to put a price on another living thing's life?? People need to wake up. "All it takes is a few committed people..". 2801 Vanessa Maslard, Eaubonne, France Think of our kids! 2792 Not publicly disclosed, Central, Hong Kong, China Utterly barbaric! 2788 Kimberly Rausch, Elk Grove Village, IL, USA As a graduate student going to Australia in 2010 I am appealing to those concerned, those who have power to listen. There is a reason people are so concerned and a reason for you to use your skills and your resources to make a difference. Australia is a lovely country full of good people but perhaps best known for its expanse of beautiful habitats for land and sea species alike. The Great Barrier Reef is already in a compromised situation due to pollution. Don't add to this situation by compromising the creatures who live there. Sharks are not only a wonderful sea creature they are necessary. Without our ecosystems we perish as a species. You do too as individuals. Look at this opportunity as potential to gain worldwide support, tourism booms and respect.Save the sharks and save yourselves in the process.Thank you. 2785 Gary Savins, Singapore, Singapore, Singapore Please stop this nonsense. 2784 Erik Dyrdal, Burien, WA, USA Sharks need to protected like any other endangered species, such as the pandas and elephants. 2783 Not publicly disclosed, Bologna, Italy It is absolutely irresponsible to allow the hunting of the highly endangered shark species! The Great Barrier Reef is something like a "rainforest of the seas;" a very unique and invaluable ecosystem which is famous all over the world; it needs to be protected by all means from such ruthless exploitation! 2779 Lenormand Vanessa, Bruxelles, Belgium I will no longer travel to or support those countries that destroy the Earth by such actions not limited to killing sharks! PLEASE STOP! 2774 Camille Shah, Brighton, East Sussex, UK Fishing for sharks for their fins is incredibly distructive. This brutal practice undermines a beautiful group of animals, disrupts our ocean ecosystems and negatively impacts our environment. At this time in our history we do not have the luxury of delaying any longer - we need to take action to ensure a healthy environment for our future generations. 2771 Lewis Evans, Ebbw Vale, Gwent, Wales Save sharks, save humanity. 2769 Krista Dixon, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada The Great Barrier Reef is one of the wonders of the world. It must be kept intact for future generations. Please ban killing of all species of sharks in Australian waters. 2766 Not publicly disclosed, Oakvlle, Ontario, Canada We need the top predator in the sea to keep a balance and make sure plankton and as a result the air we breath are along for a long time. This isn't just about sharks going extinct. It could easily lead to our extinction! If you won't save sharks for their sake at least save yourselves. 2763 Not publicly disclosed, Bristol, UK I'm a Scuba Diver in Asia and have been working in the industry for 3 years. I work full-time primarily in Andaman and South China Sea. I have completed approximately 2000 dives in this period. I'd say I see sharks in less than 3% of my dives. These are limited to Grey Bamboo Sharks, Leopard Sharks and a few Whale Sharks. Please do something to save your diving industry and the beautiful aquatic realm. 2760 Lisa Brown, Jacksonville, FL, USA Please stop the slaughter of these innocent creatures. Without them we WILL LOSS a whole ecological system and soon STARVE ourselves! 2759 Petitjean Aurlien, Paris, France Save the sharks and help save the planet!!! 2757 Mirella Baio, Bath, Avon, UK Common sense... 2752 Lenormand Audrey, Louviers, Normandy, France Continue saving sharks; we are with you 2751 Heather Blaylock, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Please, I have not had children yet, but when I do I want to welcome them to a world I am proud of. Humans are not indestructible. By killing off what was here on Earth long before us for whatever reason it may be we who ultimately are destroying our own future generation's survival. Also from a tourist perspective, I view Australia's main attraction as its ocean and the recreation it provides due to its beauty. Why destroy something that makes your country distinct? 2750 Lionel Martin, We Lifou, Nouvelle-Caldonie, France I don't want my son to die because there is not enought O2. 2749 Not publicly disclosed, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada As regular visitors to Australia for diving holidays this change of attitude towards looking after your environment will be taken into account when deciding if we will visit again. A short term financial gain from selling fishing rights will be outweighed by the long term loss of income from environmentally aware tourists. 2747 Besqueut Julien, La Tour en Jarez, France Please for the generation future and the respect of wildlife. 2746 Amer Musharbash, Brampton, Ontario, Canada Please save sharks and take care of our planet. 2743 Suzanne Galley, Barrie, Ontario, Canada I can't believe that this goes on and governments actually condone such attrocities! Something needs to be done to protect the sharks and other innocent creatures that are killed during the shark hunts! 2742 Samoodh Jamaal, Maldives I would like to say to all the people around the world to protect shark familly. 2741 Jason Landau, Glendale, CA, USA We are going to kill us if we don't take care of the sharks. 2740 Not publicly disclosed, Prverenges, Switzerland, Switzerland Ban ALL Shark Fishing! 2738 Stela Vasques, Lisbon, Portugal I think it would be enormously short sighted to institute this proposal. Shark numbers are under threat worldwide - current numbers taken each year are considered to be in excess of 80 MILLION. This is not sustainable and to implement would bring added pressure to the biodiversity of marine ecosystems purely to achieve short term financial gain. 2732 Sarah Hathaway, Pasadena, CA, USA Save the shark; save the earth! 2729 Gernot Bsteh, Stockerau, Lower Austria, Austria Stop... start thinking! 2727 Christian Clark, Whitstable, Kent, UK Lets do something to stop this now; those with the power have to stop ignoring the devastation of our marine world and primarily shark finning.. 2726 Anders Granker, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden I am shocked by the behavior of the men (people) about the sharks and the other marine animals. It is ashamed. 2720 Not publicly disclosed, Marlow, Bucks, UK Please please please; Sharks are beautiful harmless creatures who are essential to the Ocean Eco System. 2719 Joanna Wilcox, Woodstock, Ontario, Canada It is horrible that this is being allowed. I always thought Austraila was known for it's animals and it's beautiful ecosystems. They should be protecting animals on land as well as those in thier ocean...this needs to stop. 2718 Nicole Rigler, North Vancouver, BC, Canada Sharks are too beautiful and help as survive in the world. We do not need to kill sharks just for the fins. I have been very lucky to swim with sharks, so do not kill them please. 2715 Katherine White, Guelph, Ontario, Canada This is a disgusting and cruel practice. The consumption of shark fins should be illegal. The finning of sharks should be illegal. Doing something like this is akin to killing an elephant for its tusks-except elephants are usually dead when their tusks are removed. Can you not empathize with an animal that relies on its maneuverability writhing around helplessly in the water trying to swim without its fins or tail while it waits to bleed to death? If not you have no business killing these animals. The consumption and not only the fishing of sharks for their fins should be illegal. If you cut off the demand, finning would cease. This is not a sustainable practice-these animals are not being farmed; this number of sharks are being taken directly from the wild and the largest ecosystem in the world of which they are the most integral part-the top predator. Sharks are part of one of the oldest evolutionary chains still in existence dating back 450 million years. It seems a shame to me that they should be wiped out for decadence in a matter of decades by a species whose time on Earth is a sliver in comparison. 2714 Logan Berry, Cave Creek, AZ, USA One day the government is telling us how bad the Asian fishermen are for killing sharks in our waters for the fins, but they will never tell the public how many sharks get caught up in our own fishing nets each year. It's a pity most Australians are not boat rockers and will continue their lives with the words “out of mind out of sight" 2710 Not publicly disclosed, Austin, TX, USA
2695 Susan Hoenhous, Toronto, ON, Canada
2689 Nicholas Williams, Louisville, KY, USA
2680 Karina Cartwright, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
2679 Not publicly disclosed, Cheshire, UK
2676 Claudia Coryell, Lake Elsinore, CA, USA
2674 Not publicly disclosed, Wellington, New Zealand
2669 Not publicly disclosed, Guadeloupe
2667 Cat Hipperson, Newington Green, London, UK
2666 Phillip Barker, Islington, London, UK
2665 Mathias Wellstrm, Stockholm, Sweden
2664 Henrik Eklund, Skvde, Sweden
2660 Dianna Kuhr, Vancouver, BC, Canada
2650 Thomas Esterhuizen, Minehead, Somerset, England
2649 Not publicly disclosed, NB, Canada
2648 Nate Karkula, Waite Park, MN, USA
2642 Vontobel Jaro, CH
2639 Anton McInerney, North Reading, MA, USA
2638 Jennifer Meehleis, Breckenridge, CO, USA
2635 Jean-Francois Marie, Ahetze, Aquitania, France
2634 Dan Hickey, Oshawa, ON, Canada
2631 Not publicly disclosed, NSW, Australia
2630 Laura Spiegel, Vancouver, BC, Canada
2629 Bjorn Heide, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden
2627 Not publicly disclosed, WA, USA
2625 Rebecca Melanson-Laird, Etobicoke, ON, Canada
2619 Kristine Kiss, Collingwood, ON, Canada
2618 Not publicly disclosed, Jamaica
2615 Jennie Lyrholt, Orebro, Sweden
2610 Not publicly disclosed, CO, USA
2608 Summer Northcutt, Austin, TX, USA
2606 Bernd Krause, Fairlight, NSW, Australia
2605 Not publicly disclosed, Midi Pyrenees, France
2603 Kerri Blair, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
2600 Nancy Clark, North Bay, ON, Canada
2599 Laurent Bouveret, Le Moule, Guadeloupe, France
2593 Valerian Alexander, Alpharetta, GA, USA
2590 Barbara Sultan, Rotterdam, GE, Netherlands
2587 Maria Gonzalez, Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
2583 Grigoria Malkotzoglou, Athens, Greece
2572 Not publicly disclosed, QLD, Australia
2569 Panagiotis Rigopoulos, Patras, Alter, Greece
2559 Adnana Mihaela Patrascoiu, Sf. Gheorghe/Danube Delta, Romania
2554 James Sullivan, Chicago, IL, USA
2549 Ruby Armitage, Abingdon, VA, USA
2548 Joel Punch, Chatswood, NSW, Australia
2544 Not publicly disclosed, QLD, Australia
2543 Donna Smith, Wilmington, NC, USA
2540 Not publicly disclosed, QLD, Australia
2534 Amy Harlib, New York, NY, USA
2533 Anthony Munday, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
2531 Julie Shofstall, Chandler, IN, USA
2530 Linda Bescript, Tucson, AZ, USA
2529 Tanya Behr, Frenchs Forest, NSW, AUSTRALIA
2526 Erica Almn, Gothenburg, Sweden
2518 James McCay, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
2517 Nicholas Novotny, Stow, OH, USA
2515 Not publicly disclosed, OH, USA
2513 Jennifer Tehani Sarreal, Long Beach, CA, USA
2509 Nicole Riedmueller, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
2508 Ben Bongiorno, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
2507 Jacqueline Tremlin, Coeur d Alene, ID, USA
2502 Danielle LeBoeuf, Cape Coral, FL, USA
2501 Not publicly disclosed, Noord Holland, Netherlands
2496 Jaap Barendrecht, Kamerunga, Queensland, Australia
2495 David Cheek, Concord, NC, USA
2494 Angela Cooper, Colac, Victoria, Australia
2489 Cher Isbell, San Antonio, TX, USA
2488 Katherine Whitaker, Port Huron, MI, USA
2486 Debbie Low, Alva, FL, USA
2478 Traci Latta, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
2477 Jim Phillips, Sonoma, CA, USA
2476 Stephanie Colson, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
2475 Vanessa Place, Moruya, NSW, Australia
2474 Alicya Lima, Silvolde, GLD, Netherlands
2473 Catherine Mthot, Sudbury, ON, Canada
2471 Tavis Ford, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
2470 Kristofer Rajkovic, Gislaved, Smalnd, Sweden
2461 Not publicly disclosed, England, UK
2457 Andy Marshall, Wirral, Cheshire, United Kingdom
2456 Hoang Tran, Hayward, CA, USA
2449 Not publicly disclosed, ON, Canada
2447 Victoria Chisham, Victoria, BC, Canada
2446 Gareth Prescott, Canberra, ACT, Australia
2442 Terence Ultra, Mont de Marsan, Aquitaine, France
2441 Jacinthe Vigneault, St-Hubert, Quebec, Canada
2439 Deidre Guns, Victoria, BC, Canada
2438 Phillip England, New Town, TAS, Australia
2435 Jeremy Hakes, Golden, Colorado, USA
2434 Grmi Robert, Amos, Quebec, Canada
2433 Not publicly disclosed, BC, Canada
2427 Gillian Lintott, Wellington, New Zealand
2425 Not publicly disclosed, Switzerland
2418 Marianne Bistrek, Las Vegas, NV, USA
2417 Camille Schneider, Saint Thibault des Vignes, France
2413 Julie Maltby, Woodstock, ON, Canada
2412 Nicole Brown, Des Moines, IA, USA Ban all shark fishing! Now! 2409 Not publicly disclosed, Stockholm, Sweden Please watch the documentary Sharkwater and then it will be easy for you to understand why Shark Fishing must be banned globally. Thank You. 2407 Not publicly disclosed, Melin, Brabant, Belgium Save the sharks from the human race before it is to late. 2402 Jason Hughes, Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland Sharks are amazing creatures and should be left alone, it is a real tragedy what is going on in the world, SAVE THE SHARKS 2401 Emma Heskin, London, UK This is a subject that disturbs me greatly. I find it shocking to see that people can care so little about their own surroundings and those creatures that inhabit them. To lose sharks or even to see them hanging on by a thread would be devastating and we must not allow this to happen. 2399 Martin Sandrine, Courbevoie, France Please ban all shark fishing, Sharks play an important role in the ecology of the sea 2396 Jonathan Chiche, Perols, France JUST SAVE THE LIFE!!!!!!!!2395 Terra Kitzul, Chatham, Ontario, Canada 2394 Melissa Coburn, Vancouver, BC, Canada 2393 Hieu Trinh, Glendale Heights, IL, USA 2392 Marika Palovaara, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada 2391 Michael Keen, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia 2390 Vaughn Smith, ST-HUBERT Quebec, Canada Its time that we start caring about are world. When will we understand that we are killing our future. 2389 Anthony Cramery, Randwick, NSW, Australia Stop! This is complete madness. Can no one see what is happening to the population of sharks? Can no government take action? Usual story- money. 2385 Darren Boxer, Port Talbot, West Glamorgan, UK We need to save our world not destroy it! By destroying sharks we destroy the ocean's eco-system and in turn destroy our planet. If we are to survive we must stop killing and start conserving. 2384 Kendell Planidin, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada it has to stop 2383 Alastair Smith, Georgetown, Ontario, Canada Sharks are my favorite animal. They deserve to live, don't take them away from this planet and our future generations. No animal deserves this and sharks are no different. They were here before us and we owe them the same respect we give every other animal and living being on this planet we call home...It's their home too!! 2382 Samuel Bramley, Kensington, PEI, Canada I watched the movie on shark fishing last night and it made me sick to my stomach. I have always considered sharks one of the greatest species alive on the planet, how many animals can survive with never having to evolve? amazing creatures. I want my children to see sharks swim just as I intend to go diving with the shortly. S.O.S Save our Sharks 2381 Mallarie Yeager, Jacksonville, FL, USA I am so glad people have started to take interest and fight for these beautiful creatures. I am in my last year of my undergraduate Biology degree and am hoping to pursue my Doctorate in Marine Biology. I would love to help with fighting for the sharks in the future, so we can keep them in our future. 2380 Anne DePoalo, Belmar, NJ, USA Stop the long line fishing, stop being stupid.... We are our worst enemy... 2377 Not publicly disclosed, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia PLEASE SAVE THE SHARKS 2376 Christina Lafreniere, Chicopee, MA, USA Save the sharks!!!! 2375 Ali Haq, Walnut Creek, CA, USA It's unbelievably sad that we could allow this to happen to any animal. It’s shameful. Save the sharks. 2373 Rhiannan Harris, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Allowing shark fishing in an already threatened ecosystem is inhumane. Further protections within the great barrier reef should be put in place...say maybe not allowing hundreds of boats to go out with hundreds of humans daily?? Hmmm....what a concept. Protecting the environment, I guess there is no money in that movement. Watching Sharkwater just reminded me of how messed up our thinking is and how that has influenced our actions and ultimately the environment. It is our duty to save our delicate ecosystem as clearly the government is not willing.... 2372 Catherine Crane, Santa Cruz, CA, USA I do not like the way people are treating sharks. I really want to save the sharks. 2369 Not publicly disclosed, Kingston, Ontario, Canada Sharks deserve a better life than this. 2367 Not publicly disclosed, Altamonte Springs, FL, USA Sharks are the gods of this world. They created the world we live in today and they keep changing and improving it. Would you kill God? No, didn't think so. 2359 Kyle McAdam, Farmington, NH, USA Shark fishing is not a good choice at this time when many shark are having a difficult time. Sharks are not only needed by Australia but also by the rest of the world. 2358 Paul Pearson, Wallasey, Merseyside, UK Please leave Nature wildlife recovering and stop wild and assaultive shark Fishing, also look at a better way for humanity to improve the natural resources of planet Earth instead of depravating the oceans. Thank you for your attention. 2356 Not publicly disclosed, West Lakes Shore, South Australia, Australia Please make Australia sustainable. It is really the only option for the future. 2355 Yasmine Aldeeb, Saint-Sulpice, Lausanne, Switzerland Unfortunately Chinese is the main racial group that consumes shark fins. When the buying stops, so can the killing. I strongly encourage all Chinese to stop the consumption of shark fins that have no taste and little nutritional value. 2349 Not publicly disclosed, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada In the highly competitive tourism industry, consumers will make purchasing decisions based on a location's eco-friendly policies. 2347 Michael Silfverberg Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden If we as a species fail to grasp the true scope of the damage we do and arrest it, we are too stupid to live. 2343 Andreas Kjallman, Stockholm, Sweden There are today no sustainable catch limits for sharks. The species must be allowed to recover first. 2342 Alex Duce, Westbury, Wiltshire, UK 15,000 killed whilst watching a one and a half hour film? You do the maths - too many plankton eating fish = no air to breathe. What are our great great grand children going to do? 2341 Not publicly disclosed, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Please take strong action to ban ALL shark fishing throughout the entire Great Barrier Reef area. 2339 Yliana Rojas, Calgary, Alberta, Canada The Great Barrier Reef would not be so great without sharks to help keep the ecosystem in check. 2337 Wmanuela Susani, Rimini, Italy Please ban all shark fishing. 2333 Not publicly disclosed, Derendingen, Solothurn, Switzerland Really shocked to note such an idea being given sanction in a supposedly "developed" country. For Shame. 2327 Niharika Mishra, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Kindly be friends with environment or else it will eventually kill human species too! 2326 Amanda Rositch, Maple Ridge, BC, Canada It is time for the governments of the world to step up to their responsibility of protecting us from the lies and greed of individuals and corporations both legal and illegal. This protection even encompasses protecting our environment and natural resources to ensure that not only us but all future generations can enjoy all that the world has to offer. 2323 Alexandre Cloutier, Sept-Iles, Quebec, Canada Enough already.....what the *#$& is wrong with the world? 2318 Carol Goodin, Steilacoom, WA, USA Shark fishing is an acute problem and Australia should not be adding itself to the list of countries who butcher sharks for profit rather than protect an animal of vital importance to the environment. 2317 Kirsten Ryder, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Please don't join in on the destruction of the earth and all of its inhabitants.2316 Valerie Gauthy, Ransart, Belgium 2315 Laurent Caestecker, Ransart, Belgium 2314 Annick Van Noeyen, Bruxelles, Belgium 2313 Adel Benzliha, Paris, France 2312 Not publicly disclosed, Boca Raton, FL, USA 2311 Not publicly disclosed, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2310 Sean Cummins, Coogee, New South Wales, Australia There is no need to kill fish or eat shark. I strongly oppose the establishment of any 'dedicated' shark fishing 'quota' or 'industry'. Those who seek to see this occur can EASILY do something else with their lives. It is UNFORESEABLE and UNAUSTRALIAN to think that we would allow for the indiscriminate hunting and killing of our wild mainland animals as we do for creatures of the sea. This would not occur and this SHOULD not occur for our marine life. I live on the coast and swim in the ocean with sharks all the time. They are magnificent harmless creatures and I speak for many members of my community (the members of Kingsford Smith might I add) when I say... STOP the unnecessary fishing of sharks 2309 Emma Hendrickson, Cumberland, BC, Canada This is unbelievable. When will mankind figure everything out. We are supposed to take care of our planet and all of its inhabitants. 2303 Pamela Topham, Ajax, Ontario, Canada Please ban all shark fishing. They are an integral and important part of the ecology of this planet and beautiful creatures to be admired and respected. 2302 Tammie Parker, Calgary, Alberta, Canada I just watched Sharkwater. It is cruel and useless what happens. I am just speechless and furious of those people who think that maltreating and killing a species enhances in any way one's social status... 2298 Linda Haglund, Barkarby, Jarfalla, Sweden Please save sharks 2284 Anne-Charlotte Pierre, Saint Martin, France I am 23, I dive since 12 years and I am diving instructor. I never saw sharks in diving but I never want to eat them. Its an amazing wonderful animal...PROTECT THE SHARKS, IT'S PROTECT THE EARTH TO SAVE OUR LIVES. 2283 John Bedard, Brooklyn, NY, USA I am shocked that Australia, a leading country in the development of "green" building would allow this in their seas. 2280 Not publicly disclosed, Montpellier, France This is wrong! We work so hard as a country to ban whaling but will allow shark hunting! That's outrageous!! 2278 Tiffany Jackson, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Making these necessary changes is crucial to the survival of life as we know it. 2277 Jamie Trahair, Adelaide, SA Australia I feel ashamed to be Australian at the moment. We should be a leader in environmental issues & eco tourism. 2276 Not publicly disclosed, Strafford Heights, Queensland, Australia2275 Kristin Titus, Pukekohe, Auckland, New Zealand This would be not only devastating to the eco-system but also disgrace on Australia. 2274 Rebecca Dunlop, Calgary, Alberta, Canada I believe that in almost every conservation effort individuals hold the key to causing change. Yet the most concerned in terms of sea life are those that can experience it first hand, notably scuba divers. As such these individuals are an almost guaranteed source of promoters for the fight against shark fining. However, I myself have been relatively unaware of the huge scale of this offence or damage on our environment. Therefore i believe Sharkwater but also similar documentaries, promotional segments should be viewed by scuba divers who are first learning to dive, so that it becomes an essential part of their education or awareness of the world they are about to experience. 2271 Garrett Johnson, Greeneville, TN, USA Sharks are an important part of the ecosystem. Please ban ALL shark fishing throughout the entire Great Barrier Reef area! 2266 Not publicly disclosed, Pompano Beach, FL, USA Where is the human empathy and compassion? These animals feel pain and deserve respect for who they are and what they provide to our eco system. Think about what you are doing and the long run impact. 2265 Jessica Hill, Vancouver, BC, Canada Save the sharks = save the earth. 2264 Mary Connors, Walwa, Victoria, Australia Disgusted this goes on....please stop. 2258 Annie Peysson, Pusignan, France Disgraceful planning. Typical governments 2242 Mike Bennett, Calgary, Alberta, Canada I had no clue that issue was so out of control, shark water totally opened my eyes. This disgusting act of animal cruelty needs to be stopped. 2237 Not publicly disclosed, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada If this is true I'm very disappointed in the Australian government. I've been to the Great Barrier Reef twice and it is one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth 2236 Laurie Tran, Palo Alto, CA, USA I've been planning on diving at the Great Barrier Reef. However, I am dismayed by how lightly Australia is caring for its ocean environment, as evidenced by the allowance of a shark fishery. My husband and I will boycott any tourism to your country, until Australia does the right thing-- BAN ALL SHARK FISHERY. Very sincerely, Laurie Tran 2235 Kandra Kergen, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada I have visited Australia, and in particular, The Great Barrier Reef twice over the past 5 years, and I am shocked to learn that Australia would even consider licensed shark fishing. The killing of ANY species, endangered or otherwise, for the sole purpose of one single part of its body, (ie. Sharks Fins) is completely gratuitous, irresponsible and unforgivable. Australia, as a "first world country" with a sound economy should be setting an example for other countries to follow in terms of eco-conservation. I am extremely disappointed, and hope that they come to their senses. Absolutely NO shark fishing should be allowed in the Great Barrier Reef, and the establishment of shark fisheries will only serve to promote the notion that sharking is necessary. 2233 Tara Hahto, Boise, ID, USA Fishing sucks! Go vegan! 2229 sebastien Delom, Saint-Martial, France STOP exploitation animal and plant! 2217 Mike Lewis, London, UK Thanks for your action, I’'m a student at this time, but I wish help you by the communication of your website, and I hope that the change will be important for the population. 2213. Kelly Azzopardi, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada I am a 21 year old student from Canada and recently traveled to Australia to visit the Great Barrier Reef. My time was amazing and I could easily see what all the hype was about. After watching Sharkwater and being informed that the Queensland government actually allows fining to happen still is appalling! I cannot believe that after watching a movie like Sharkwater, a first would country who is supposed to be setting examples for the rest of the world still allows this to happen. Queensland Government, as far as I’m concerned you are a disgrace to humanity and I am very angry I put any money into tourism in Queensland. Some friends were considering traveling to Australia in the near future but I will advise them strongly not to do so. Set an example for the rest of the world 2210. Carolyn Gutowski, Dublin, OH, USA Please do not allow this to happen. These beautiful creatures need our help and they are necessary for our ecosystem as well as our very existence. Please, please they need more protection, not more pain. Sincerely, Karen V Brown 2208. Not publicly disclosed, South West Rocks, NSW, Australia I strongly oppose shark fishing and believe that we can make a difference. I might only be 14, but I am very aware of this situation and think that its very inhumane and evil to hunt sharks when they contribute so much to our environment. I wish you the best of luck and I hope that you know that I'm behind you 100% and will do anything to stop this situation from getting worse. Best of hope, Brittany Skerritt 2201. Sebastien Vigne, Albi, Tarn, France Sharks are so important to our ecosystems and lives, don't let the need for money or financial growth get in the way of saving this amazing creature please. 2195. Shaun Stephenson, San Rafael, CA, USA As long as people consider sharks as a danger and not as a crucial element of the oceans, the slaughter will continue. Let's stop it quickly 2193. Not publicly disclosed, Fresno, CA, USA By Killing these beautiful animals for short term gain, you are destroying a very important ecosystem, which will be detrimental to life on earth as we know it, please stop today! 2191. Lars Rexa, Schwelm, Germany Please stop the destroying of the great barrier reef by killing sharks 2188. Bloria Thompson, Bremerton, WA, USA sauvons les requins !!! URGENCE !!! 2186. Ben Carroll, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK It's the right thing to do. 2185. Not publicly disclosed, Annecy, Haute Savoie, France I think ALL shark fishing should be banned. There is no reason to kill a whole species off just because you like the taste, I think it's repulsive. It's hypocritical, seeing as you're telling Japan to stop whaling; well, our shark numbers are almost just as bad! The shark population in Australia has been almost halved in the last decade! PLEASE stop...or else there will soon be none left...please. Smiles, Maddy, Shark Lover 2179. Heather Lowe, London, Ontario, Canada Save my Daughters/Granddaughters future please, Ban All Shark Fishing!!! Don't make our generation 'The Barbaric Era'.For all the children in the world, Please BAN SHARK FISHING!2177. Not publicly disclosed, Auckland, New Zealand 2176. Not publicly disclosed, Beaconsfield, Western Australia, Australia 2175. Dominic Bannerman, Cairns, Queensland, Australia Let us not encourage more shark fin soup where sharks are killed simply for their fins and left to die. 2174. Amy Kirst, Raleigh, NC, USA If we destroy them, we destroy us too. 2173. Abbie Hardy, Winchester, Hampshire, England My wife and I are thinking about a vacation to visit Australia and dive at the Great Barrier Reef within two years. If Australia does not continue to ban shark fishing in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, we will not come to visit your country. That means thousands of lost dollars just from the two of us, if you do not keep up a shark fishing ban. 2171. Lyndsey Light, Vancouver, BC, Canada 2170. Megan Embree, Maple Ridge, BC Canada STOP THIS NOW!!! 2166. Alejandro Sanz, Paris, France This is an extremely important topic and time is of the essence, please do not discard this petition. 2164. Calin Nemes, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada It took hundreds of millions of years (a time span that it's very hard to comprehend) to create such an amazing thing like the Great Barrier Reef and if were not careful, we can easily destroy it in the time span of one or 2 human generations. And talking about human generations, if we dont protect whats left of the current eco-system, the future generations will think of us as barbarians, the same way we think about the slavery. 2163. Not publicly disclosed, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Please stop the slaughter. Protect the sharks. By saving the sharks we are saving ourselves. They are part of the system. 2160. Nicholas Faria, Unionville, Ontario, Canada It would also be a great idea for Australia to try and have some influence on the Asian market for shark fins. No market, no demand. Is there anything that can be done? 2156. Not publicly disclosed, Kingston, St Andrew, Jamaica We should lead the world in the protection of sea life... we are surrounded by the ocean and rely on it to bring tourism, food, recreation, and jobs...Stop screwin around with nature and lets lead by example... 2154. Andrew Hughes, Toronto, Ontario, Canada This combined with the Aussie governments latest attempt to sell-out the whales 2152. Not publicly disclosed, Seffner, FL, USA The Great Barrier Reef is supposed to be a place that values diversity, don't let fishermen kill off all of the animals and make it a barren waste land. 2151. Not publicly disclosed, The Colony, TX, USA Let's at last do something right. 2149. Paulina Kolakowska, London, London, UK Please Please stop this barbaric act!! 2145. Dana Diotte, Nelson, BC Canada I will not set foot on Australian soil as a tourist until the Australian government grows a backbone and does not give into outside pressure. 2144. Joey Gan, Singapore I've always looked up to Australia for its amazing wildlife and passion for nature. But after hearing the news of a dedicated fishery, i feel appalled that such thoughts could actually take root and grow in a country that supposedly treasures its wildlife. please please do not go through with the shark fishery. 2143. Nicolas Joubert-bousson, Chantelouve, Isere, France Stop these human predators, they don’t care about nature, about the future of mother earth. 2141. Laetitia Poggionovo, Ajaccio, France Nous devrions tout agir en rflchissant , car bien beau de dnoncer la cruaut des chasseurs mais pour les enferms il faudra avant tout avanc en rflchissant ..Jai pu lire quelque article et vu le film documentaire de Rob stewart . Les chasseurs de requins coupent les 4 ailerons sur cet animal vivant (qui ne peut se dfendre) et rejettent l'animal dans l'eau.Il ne peut plus bouger, nager, s'orienter, il coule et meure dans l'indiffrence avec des souffrances normes. Il finira par mourrir certainement noy.Les bteaux intercepts ont des tonnes d'ailerons, imaginez donc le nombre de requins tus pour avoir ce nombre! C'est honteux rvoltant ! !Et ce probleme est national. Dans certains pays qui proposent l'co-tourisme, l'tat est au courant de ces agissements illgaux mais ne prend pas les mesures ncessaires !Arretons d'avoir peur cause de films rendant le requin monstrueux! Toutes les races de requins sont sur la plante et ce n'est pas pour rien ; La chane alimentaire, la reproduction...Toutes ces bases de la nature que nous humains dtruisent. Et tout le monde se plaindra quand nous ne pourrons plus revenir en arriere (et on est mal parti) !Je pense que chaque tat , chaque rgion voir pays devrait ce mobiliser dans leurs ville pour ce battre contre la cruaut des hommes face a ca..a vrai dire ce ne sont pas que les requins qui sont touch s, en touchant les requins ont touchent obligatoire quelque chose d autre , une sorte de chaine. L'homme dtruit tout sur son passage, nous voyons des inondations etc.. je vois alors que la nature est tres intelligente elle reprend ce qu elle a perdu encore une fois par l'homme une espece diront nous 'imbcile' j'aurais meme honte de dire que je fais parti de cette espece. 2140. Katie Benning, Cambewarra, NSW, Australia Shark are beautiful and amazing creatures that need protection. The Great Barrier Reefs ecosystem depends on sharks. By allowing shark fishing at the Great Barrier Reef you are puting the future of the reef in danger. 2139. Not publicly disclosed, Marseille, PACA, France You can send me a newsletter and if existing, diving clubs that support your mission 2138. Stphanie Kergourlay, New Delhi, Delhi, India Please start the change for a better world 2135. Catherine Lebouille, Delhi, Delhi, India I am horrified and outraged that in light of all available scientific knowledge, Australia would ignore its responsibilities as a global community member and render further imbalance to the world's oceans through its allowance of shark fishing. 2133. Laurige Boyer, New Delhi, Delhi, India Ban shark finning in Australia. Ban any whaling and allowing Japan to do so just for your trade with that country. Shame Shame Shame on you. Typical money changing peoples views. Look at the world through the eyes of a child. 2131. Ian Silverstein, Los Angeles, CA, USA This is terrible and I hope their are those in power who are able to see past the money and realize the consequences involved in this industry. 2126. Nicolah Dinesen, West Vancouver, BC, Canada I can't believe how humanity is always set on destroying everything around it!!! 2122. Not publicly disclosed, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Sharks are the largest carnivores in many ocean - as an ecologist, it is clear that losing them could have many unintended consequences, as has the loss of similar species on land, such as wolves here in Canada. 2121. Karen Edwards, Norwich, Norfolk, England We need to act for today and tomorrow. Now. Please hear us, please hear them. We're betting the life of everyone and everything. 2117. houda Benjelloun, Casablanca, Maroc, Morocco Stop the massacre Any type of hunting for sport and for no real purpose is disgusting and needs to be stopped. 2112. Jocia Zoccolini, Chania, Crete, Greece We mustn’t stay without doing anything. Thank you Rob Stewart, we need more people like you to open our eyes. 2111. Not publicly disclosed, Toronto, Ontario, Canada There are so many environmental and humanity reasons to list why this needs to be stopped, but if nothing else can we not appeal to your practical side... even just in plain dollars your sharks are worth so much more alive than dead - end of story. 2109. Ethan Marsh, Tewksbury, MA, USA Sharks lived on earth long before mankind does. I am afraid people do forget this too often!!! We do not have the right to threaten the sharks in any sense because sharks are no threat to us. We should be grateful to have such beautiful and majestic animals alive on earth. Not to forget that the health of the Great Barrier Reef deserves its preservation because of its non-recurring status. 2107. Dar Stripe, Brampton, Ontario, Canada Shark finning is the most cruel and inhumane thing I've ever heard of. No one seems to understand that we NEED the sharks. Please ban shark finning! 2100. Chrystal Clarke, Santa Cruz, CA, USA Save the Sharks....I would like to have them around for my son to enjoy!!!!! 2096. Kristen Kaploun, Windsor, Ontario, Canada PLEEEEEEEAAAAASEEE STOP!!!!!! 2088. Not publicly disclosed, Vancouver, BC, Canada Save the sharks !! 2086. Dana McGinnity, Moncton, NB, Canada We are endangering ourselves by tampering with the ocean's delicately balanced food chains in the current practices of hunting sharks. Sharks hold a vital place in the natural order of the ocean, which provides the great majority of our planets oxygen. Their place in the food chain is directly related to this enormous supply of oxygen. Sharks mature very slowly, and it is imperative that measures for their protection are taken now. We must be guardians of the oceans because they directly support our existence. Stop the cruel and dangerous hunting of sharks. 2084. Jillian Austin, Vittoria, Canada After watching the impact that the film, Sharkwater, had on my students, I feel obligated to sign anything I can. 2083. Karissa Manning, Nanticoke, Ontario, Canada I watched the movie Sharkwater with my class and was almost crying. It doesn't make sense that innocent sharks are being killed! I feel the same way about every single animal, they don't deserve to die, if they do then we do! We do much more to harm, animals, plants and the world, much more than they could ever do! 2082. Not publicly disclosed, Andover, MA, USA STOP THIS STUPIDITY NOW... why do you allow this needless painful killing of innocent sharks... as a educated nation, this should be banned end of story. I mean have we actually evolved into such monsters that we can't see what we are doing to the world at large... this mindless act of violence towards the seas most important Predator. If we kill the shark it can only lead to a ecological breakdown that will speed up the already declining stability of our fragile eco system... grow up and stand up for what’s right and stop being so bloody greedy. Money does not make for stability in any shape or form. Just a lot of people who will boycott Australia as a whole and then it will do the reverse... please do something good and show the world that Australia is a nation that can hold its head high and be proud to save this wonderful creature... 2074. Iain Edwards, Southampton, Hampshire, UK I think its a joke that you Aussies haven’t banned it!! You're meant to be one of the leaders in wild life conservation and you havent banned shark fishing!! Watch the dvd and learn about them, i think its clear you need to 2073. Anne Lise Tomasi, Ajaccio, Corse du Sud, France SAVE THEM 2072. Dennis Gonzalez, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia save da sharks 2064. Jason Gould, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada Please stop this barbaric act against these animals! 2060. Not publicly disclosed, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Not right, Australia. 2059. Heather LeBlanc, Grandfalls, Newfoundland, Canada What does it have to take to have political leaders stand up and stop taking a blind eye too the very precious world around us. All living things on this earth work in harmony to keep each species living. It is us as humans that are destroying this earth. We are ruining this world what gives us the right to do this? What gives us the right to wipe out beings like sharks off this earth like it wont matter in the end? END funny word because we are on the way there it is real. What would it take to allow my child and his children to live without worry that this earth is falling short to the greed and money that seems more important to the fundamental right to life? I mean breathing, breathing air, do you not see. You have to stand up and see please!!!! They need someone to speak for them. Just by being who they by nature are the help produce the oxygen we breathe for life. What is wealth if you do not have life what will it all mean in the end? They bare the price for our ignorance, one of the only beings on this earth that has been here at the beginning. I think they have it right. We are so wrong, it is us we are the factor that kill, and destroy, dumb enough not to see in the end it will be our selves who will die. I cry for us all and ask myself everyday who the demons are!!!! 2058. Not publicly disclosed, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Sharks have earned there place on this earth. It is about time we do so too. To sustainably live with the earth and not against it, such as sharks do, is the only way we shall continue to thrive on this planet. 2055. Not publicly disclosed, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Please help 2052. Not publicly disclosed, Ayr, Queensland, Australia I agree whole-heartedly 2051. Not publicly disclosed, New York, NY, USA I want to do something concrete, and the one thing I can think of is that I can ask Queenslanders to boycott the company I used to work for. It's a video graphics company that should keep to what they're doing - filming and editing and stay off their side business which is selling shark fins. One day they're filming a beautiful whale shark and the next day they sell it's fins. I e-mailed them and asked them to stop and the reply I got was: "Sharks are like trees over hear mate (they are everywhere) and we eat the meat as well as the fin....."Apparently they haven't seen the big picture yet. That in the long run they are killing themselves when there is no oxygen left to breathe. So, since they are not listening to me - please do NOT buy products or services from Visual Obsession or Harleys Educational in Cairns until they stop selling those shark fins! Thank you! Andy from Sweden 2048. Kalli Crist, Wexford, PA, USA Protecting sharks within the confines of the Great Barrier Reef should be a priority not simply an option at the bottom of the list. Financial gains should never come before conservation efforts, especially when 3/4 of the planet is in jeopardy. or am I just unaware that Wal-Mart now sells livable planets? Those guys have everything!! 2047. Tallulah Orcel, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA I sign on behalf of myself and my family and friends and all those who I care about and those who care about our world. 2044. David Lee, Richmond, VA, USA Sharks are among the most endangered species in the world, for some of their species population numbers have dropped by as much as 95% since the 1970's. All killing of sharks should be banned before it's too late for it is absolutely unnecessary - unfortunately; humans are the only species that take far more from nature than we need to survive. 2042. Kate Watson-Mitchell, Colchester, Essex, UK The plight to save these beautiful creatures is made so much harder because people can feel for a cuddly orangutan, panda or tiger in need of saving, but a shark is less beautiful to some and has a terrible reputation thanks to years of ignorance from humans. They are the apex predator of the sea and what people don't realise is they form the most important link of the ocean's food chain. By senselessly murdering these incredible animals, man is doing irreparable damage to the world's oxygen supply. Over 80% of the earth's oxygen comes from photosynthesis in the oceans. By drastically decreasing the world's shark population, it increases the volume of plankton consumed by fish (fish which would have been eaten by sharks) which directly detriments the photosynthesis process. What the ignorant human doesn't realise they are doing is not only brutally and pointlessly executing these perfect creatures, but helping to destroy the earth we live in and the air that we breathe. 2041. Not publicly disclosed, Bandhagen, Stockholm, Sweden The numbers are dwindling. We need these creatures to keep our ecosystem in balance. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the last places of refuge for these amazing animals. Do no let it become the nightmare that has taken place in Costa Rica. I appeal to anyone voting on this as intelligent human beings, do the right thing. 2033. Not publicly disclosed, Toronto, Ontario, Canada The Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage Area and should be forbidden territory for all commercial fishermen. Most of these people don't care about the sustainability of marine ecosystems or incredible animals like sharks as long as they receive enough money for their products. We should stop dancing around the holy grail called money and start listening to the desperate cries of Mother Nature. 2031. Mark Bolotenko, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada One shark is finned every second. Would you like to hear that everyone second, a human being has their arm and legs cut off while they still breathe, only to be discarded onto a lawn where they struggle in agony, eventually dying hours, sometimes days later?2030. David Lunden, Malmo, Sweden 2029. Elizabeth Castaldo, Malmo, Sweden Human selfishness and greed can't go so far. Please. 2028. REX Tyler, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, UK This is an ecological area when you start using it as a killing field you end up losing sight of your goals. It makes no sense killing sharks on the Barrier Reef, it is our insatiable desire to kill and steal that will be the downfall of man 2027. MOURIER Johann, Moorea, French Polynesia Reef sharks are now (as almost every shark populations) under threat. A scientific paper by Robbins (2006) has shown the scientific evidence that shark populations in The Great Barrier Reef (one of the most beautiful site on Earth) are declining seriously. Many scientific papers have already shown that removing sharks from their ecosystem will damage the ecosystem and destroy its balance, and moreover it will certainly damage local fisheries... So think about it. Removing fins only for short term money?...this money will be lost by local fishermen in few years... 2026. Not publicly disclosed, Chelwood Gate, West Sussex, UK Ban all shark fishing. 2024. Erik Quiram, Greeley, CO, USA Shark fishing on barrier reef would be catastrophic, having just been diving on the Great Barrier Reef in January of 2008 the sharks where one of the most exciting fish to see!! There is enough pressure environmentally on the reef system without adding more by shark fishing. This is a despicable idea and will no good for any one accept greedy industries lining their pockets!! 2023. Cheryl Murkin, Townsville, Queensland, Australia Saw Sharkwater and haven't been the same since. We need to stop this NOW! 2017. Megan Rosser, Tulsa, OK, USA I am a responsible and well educated citizen who enjoys travel - after learning of shark finning I am personally banning areas that participate in shark fining as well as not going to the country of China. 2016. Not publicly disclosed, Perth, WA, Australia I support the above and I believe that there needs to be a ban on the sale of shark fins in Australia in particular 2014. Andrew Guest (Captn) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia This is hypocritical of the QLD Government when they are buying back QUOTA'S from the Fishing Industry to curb over-fishing the Great Barrier Reef.The very mention of proposing this clearly indicates hypocrisy for the benefits of science 2013. Not publicly disclosed, Stouffville, Ontario, Canada I would believe, given the education available as well the global interest in our future generations for habitability on this planet, not to even mention the humanitarian interest into life that we are reaching, would it even be a question that fishing for sharks would be a option. There is NO room for ignorance any longer given that you may take your time and watch the film " Sharkwater.com ". I trust with you taking the time to educate yourself you will see that this industry has hit an END given the global interest as well your financial repercussion may end in costing you far greater than what you would even conceive in gaining from the shark industry. I am appalled that the Australian gov't would reach to such a dire level to sacrifice the Great Barrier Reef as it is a global responsibility to protect your waters. I am confident Australia will continue in their reputation as a environmental leader, pick the responsible approach to growth, rather than feed a dying social hunger. IT IS NOT OKAY TO CONTINUE TO FISH FOR SHARKS ANY LONGER, NOR IS IT SOCIAL ACCEPTABLE. Pam Boyd Langley 2011. Not publicly disclosed, Croydon, Surrey, UK We must work together to save our marine wildlife, not plunge it into the darkness of extinction. 2007. Ian Fairclough, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Please stop fishing endangered species. Especially sharks! 2005. Not publicly disclosed, Plessis-Bouchard, France |
