3256. Diane Nelson, Johnson City, Tennessee, United States

Although we have made several dive trips to Palau, we are distressed with the bill of promote the continual decline of shark populations due to shark finning. We came to dive with sharks. Where will we go when the sharks begin to disappear? Back to the Maldives!

3255. Liz Holey, Kailua Kona, Hawaii, United States

3254. Not publicly disclosed, Norfolk, United States

3253. Not publicly disclosed, london, Ontario, Canada

Just like Costa Rica that supports shark finning this would be another country I would not go too and would tell others not to either.

3252. Not publicly disclosed, Hillsboro, Oregon, United States

3251. Not publicly disclosed, Hermosa Beach, California, United States

These laws encourage the mutilation of sharks for their fins and the bodies are tossed back to sea. Palau draws many tourists and divers each year. I hope the diving industry boycotts Palau if such laws are passed.

3250. Not publicly disclosed, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

3249. Not publicly disclosed, Vancouver, Washington, United States

Please stop shark fishing an any way. If you want tourism to continue in Palau, stop the shark carnage now.

3248. Not publicly disclosed, Hofit, Israel

3247. Not publicly disclosed, Sparks, Nevada, United States

We must protect our oceans

3246. Annette Arredondo, San Antonio, Texas, United States

3245. Cyrielle Travaglini, Cannes, France

3244. Desiree Bell, Alexandria, Virginia, United States

3243. Sean Mirski, Naperville, Illinois, United States

3242. Not publicly disclosed, Battersea, Ontario, Canada

We have been to Palau many time to dive. The attraction is the sharks.If the government passes bill 8-44 we will not be returning.

3241. Not publicly disclosed, Sterling Hts, Michigan, United States

Our dive group are planning our second trip to Palau in February.If you pass BIll 8-44 we will go to the Maldives instead.We will do all we can to put Palau on the do not visit list.

3240. Wayne MacWilliams, Jupiter, Florida, United States

It does not take rocket science to know that, if those changes are made it is simply for the all mighty dollar. However that is very narrow minded because, in the long term it has been proven that a continual flow of tourist/diver(dollars) will far out gain the short term windfall derived by allowing unsustainable overfishing. Someone is getting paid off!!!

3239. Falk Hoell, Rheinhausen, Germany

Stop the commercial shark fishing Please

3238. Federica Carr, London, United Kingdom

This is a disgrace!! We came to Palau in 2005 and have been telling everyone what an amazing place for seeing sharks it is! We were planning another trip but if this disgrace goes ahead, we will NOT return

3237. Bradley Bowen, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

My wife and I began scuba diving in 1991. During the next 8 years we only saw 2 nurse sharks and one blue shark in several hundred dives. In 1999 we traveled to Palau for a scuba diving trip so that we could see large pelagic species and the thousands of sharks we had read about. It was a fantastic trip. Our only disappointment was that the day we were leaving a fishing boat came into port with 26 large turtles on board. They were so big that the shell hung over one side of the bed of a small pick up truck that was taking the turtles to restaurants. We also saw only one Manta Ray on the trip. It came to the back of our boat and played in the lights one night. It was also on the fishing boat and was unloaded along with the turtles. My wife and I implore you to protect the sharks, as well as the turtles and Manta Rays. We plan to return to Palau to see the rich sea life.....but there will be no point if it is all gone.

3236. Not publicly disclosed, Monona, Wisconsin, United States

Please stop the slaughter. Apex predators are important part of the ocean ecosystem. Please respect the balance of nature.

3235. Tim Jones, Llanfairpwll, United Kingdom

This cannot happen.Please dont let it happen.

3234. Elizabeth Taylor, Bristol, United Kingdom

Please do not take a backward step. Help conserve the decreasing shark population.You have done so much already please do not stop.

3233. Jack McCall, London, United Kingdom

I have been diving in Palau, and it was wonderful, but I will NEVER go or recommend anyone EVER go to Palau again if this insane bill is passed. The money gained in fishing will be lost in tourism, and Palau will be contributing to the extinction of an already decimated shark population. And for what, so a few ignorant people can eat shark fin soup? It

3232. Not publicly disclosed, Berkeley, California, United States

3231. Arturo Lopez, Huixquilucan, Mexico, Mexico

I Dived in Palau 3 years ago an planing to go back with my family. I hope to find the environment preserved.

3230. Not publicly disclosed, San Clemente, California, United States

I am planning to dive in Palau with my wife in January 2010. I am not happy about allowing shark fishing in your county and have not as yet booked our trip. I will be watching to see if shark fishing is re introduced into your country. Please do not allow this bill to be passed.

3229. David Reubush, Toano, Virginia,VA, United States

Please do not destroy your dive tourism industry by eliminating one of the major things to see that draw us to Palau - the sharks.

3228. Not publicly disclosed, Anchorage, Alaska, United States

3227. Sue McCall, London, United Kingdom

The worlds shark populations are under attack - do we really want to see the extinction of these amazing creatures? Palau can either be part of the solution or part of the problem. I shall also be removing Palau from my dive destination list if this law is passed.

3226. Jeff Rodensky, Shelton, Connecticut, United States

3225. Stephen de Blois, Seattle, Washington, United States

3224. Leslie Barnard, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

3223. Nicola Witte, Krefeld, Germany

Save the sharks and with it save our nature!

3222. Karen Kramer, San Mateo, California, United States

3221. Eileen Stauss, Woodland Hills, California, United States

I have dived in Palau and my favorite site was Blue Corner with the fascinating sharks. I

3220. Mary Morton, Sparks, Nevada, United States

Please stop all shark finning. The practice is killing all the sharks and completely insane.

3219. Not publicly disclosed, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States

3218. Jeffrey Raffa, boca raton, Florida, United States

Please keep the current laws in place

3217. Andrew Calvert, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, United Kingdom

Save the sharks!

3216. Scott Coleman, NY, New York, United States

3215. Not publicly disclosed, Playa Del Rey, California, United States

3214. Danielle Parrington, Calgary, Australia

3213. Alex Barney, Atlanta, Georgia, United States

3212. Vanessa Lopez, Arleta, California, United States

3211. Not publicly disclosed, London, United Kingdom

Stop being ignorant and realize the negative impact on the marine ecosystem by allowing shark fishing to continue.

3210. Denise Lytle, Fords, New Jersey, United States

3209. Jochen Matt, Ladenburg, Germany

It´s a big shame!!!!!

3208. Not publicly disclosed, Tenafly, New Jersey, United States

3207. Markus Wagner, Bornheim, Germany

3206. Not publicly disclosed, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

It’s bad enough we’ve stuffed our own race why should everything else around us have to be destroyed because of peoples greed and stupidity leave the sharks alon.e

3205. Jeff Studebaker, Brookville, Ohio, United States

3204. Not publicly disclosed, Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands

When sharks are around the reef is healthy and happy. So is tourist business when sharks are around. These tourists are not interested in some soup or meal. Tourists prefer the view of a beautiful ecosystem. They come to Palau to dive and enjoy nature! Please don't put short term benefit over long term loss!

3203. Dr Yehuda Melamed, Haifa, Israel

3202. Christy Chandlee, Mesa, United States

3201. Terry Deegan, St. Joseph, Michigan, United States

Having traveled for years in the Far East, I admit to eating Shark fin soup, presented as a delicacy. I later learned how the fishery was harvested. The Sharks weren't taken as a food product in the whole but rather maimed and thrown back in to drown. The practice is not only inhumane but wasteful, and most importantly destructive of a species that has been on earth longer than man.

3200. Dave Hancock, Seattle, Washington, United States

There are no good and defendable reasons to slaughter sharks.

3199. David Gandell MD, Fairport, New York, United States

Our family comes to Palau at least twice a year to dive, and we generously contribute to the economy. If the shark population declines, one of our prime reasons to come there to dive will be eliminated. These magnificent creatures need to be protected.

3198. Judith Swain, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom

3197. Not publicly disclosed, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States

Please protect Palau. I am concerned about this fragile ecosystem.

3196. Not publicly disclosed Houston, United States

3195. Yvonne Martin, Midlothian, Virginia, United States

3194. Not publicly disclosed, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

3193. Kenneth LaForest, Howell, Michigan, United States

3192. Not publicly disclosed, Ljubljana, Slovenia

3191. Daniel Cardinale, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, United States

Please help to protect the fragile ecosystem and the beauty of Palau

3190. Steve Shindell, Atlanta, Georgia, United States

3189. Jeremy Ellis, Atlanta, Georgia, United States

3188. Not publicly disclosed, 55578 Wallertheim, Germany

We will have no holiday and left no money in Palau since the commercial shark fishing isn`t stopped. Maybe this is the only thing we can do, but we do!!!!

3187. Barbara Tori, Trbovlje, Slovenia

3186. Not publicly disclosed, Ljubljana, Slovenia

3185. Rudolf Rudman, Durban, South Africa

mankind is not worthy of this planet. we destroy in the name of religion, science , politics and then point fingers when all fall apart, the planet will bite back and when she does say thank you. only then when mankind is but a few souls left, We will learn (maybe)?

3184. Not publicly disclosed, Ljubljana, Slovenia

3183. Ernest Harper, Lake Bluff, Illinois, United States

3182. Not publicly disclosed, Dunedin, Florida, United States

3181. Not publicly disclosed, Kuala Lumpur, WP, Malaysia

3180. Gary Kilbride, Hollywood, Florida, United States

3179. Clemens Sander, Heidesheim, Germany

3178. Olwena Griffiths, Carmarthenshire, United Kingdom

3177. Milton Vieira, Johannesburg, South Africa

3176. Gayle Aquino, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, United States

We need to preserve the wildlife in our oceans. Sharks are magnificent creatures that should be respected

3175. Eric Francis, Pulau Perhentian, Malaysia

3174. Not publicly disclosed, San Clemente, California, United States

3173. Not publicly disclosed, Chandler, Arizona, United States

3172. Robyn Churchill, Hollywood, Florida, United States

With the estimated decline of 90% of the world

3171. Not publicly disclosed, Nha Trang, Vietnam

Stop shark fishing!! THis is an endangered specie!!!

3170. Not publicly disclosed, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

3169. Rob Lysak, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

Now or never, and i want my kids to be able to see what i have seen.

3168. Not publicly disclosed, Cowes, Victoria, Australia

save the shark!!!

3167. Thomas Oswald, Frankfurt, Germany

unbelievable!

3166. Not publicly disclosed, Hollywood, Florida, United States

3165. Crystal Evans, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

3164. Not publicly disclosed, , Greenville, Texas, United States

3163. Not publicly disclosed, Wiesloch, Germany

3162. Not publicly disclosed, Englewood, Colorado, United States

3161. Michael Pollack, Cupertino, California, United States

3160. Not publicly disclosed, Heidelberg, Germany

3159. Stacey Larson, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, United States

3158. Maria Victoria Taeza, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Please take this cause seriously....sharks are our livelihood....put greed aside and stop killing our most precious resource. Put an end to barbaric practices.

3157. Not publicly disclosed, Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States