SharkSavers, a program of WildAid
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Local businesses join conservation groups to say ‘I’m FINished with FINS’
LUSH Cosmetics, Gold Typhoon Group, WildLife 21, Life Conservationist Association, and WildAid join Shark Savers’ campaign to reduce consumption of shark fin soup
Taipei, February 5, 2013 – COSMETICS giant LUSH and Gold Typhoon have teamed up with a coalition of conservation organizations, WildLife 21, Life Conservationist Association, WildAid, and Shark Savers, to raise awareness in Taiwan about the urgent need to reduce the consumption and trade of sharks’ fins. The collaboration launches on Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at Huashan 1914 Creative PARK .
Attending the event are Taiwanese celebrities featured in Shark Savers’ “I’m FINished with FINS” campaign which empowers Taiwanese to not to eat shark’s fin soup: (Zhang Zhen Yue, Miranda Lu, Janet Wang). These personalities and almost fifty others can be seen in evocative black-and-white “I’m FINished” posters in LUSH stores, and will soon be seen throughout Taiwan.
In a dramatic illustration of how sharks are caught on longlines to be killed for their fins, LUSH employee and performance artist Alice Newstead will have her skin pierced with two shark hooks and will be suspended from a scaffolding at the event.
The event will also feature the sale of ‘shark fin soap,’ a special-edition LUSH soap made of seaweed and sea salt that is topped with a small cardboard shark fin. The soap will be on sale for a limited time after the event in LUSH stores and will provide continuing awareness about the damage to shark populations and ocean ecosystems resulting from shark fin consumption. All sales proceeds will go to Shark Savers’ “I’m FINished with FINS” campaign.
Petula Shen, Brand Manager of LUSH Taiwan, explained, “100% of the LUSH products are not tested on animals and are designed to have a low impact on the environment. We are very proud to partner in the “I’m FINished with FINS” campaign in what is a critical initiative to save sharks, which face the threat of extinction due to the consumption of shark fin soup.”
Sharks are especially important to the healthy balance of ocean ecosystems, and yet shark species are under threat. Many regional shark populations have declined by over 90% in recent years. Scientific studies demonstrate that depletion of shark populations has resulted in population collapse of other economically valuable species further down the food chain and the decline of coral reefs. Leading marine scientists and market data point to the demand for shark fins as the primary cause of these shark population declines and their consequences.
MORE quotes from our partners
Jonn Lu, Regional Director of Shark Savers, Asia Pacific, noted that “the overfishing of sharks, mostly for their fins, happens out in the open ocean, where most people don’t see and are unaware about its impact. People care about what they know, and they protect what they care about. We need to make sure people are aware about this issue, which is having a severe impact not just on sharks but the rest of the ocean ecosystem, and us humans who depend on the oceans for our existence.”
WildLife 21 Founder Rebecca Cheng:
“Over the years, Taiwan has taken many positive steps in the right direction regarding whale sharks and the shark finning issue, but more can still be done on the legislative side to help reign in and regulate a destructive trade that has brought about the wholesale depletion of important shark species worldwide. As a coalition, we look forward to engaging like-minded policy makers on these issues of global consequence.”
LUSH, which has over 820 shops across 50 countries around the globe, and Gold Typhoon, which is one of the established renown music labels in greater China, have taken Shark Savers’ pledge to not to serve any shark’s fin dishes at corporate events, promote any shark’s fin products, or reimburse employees for expenses for shark’s fin products.
About Shark Savers Shark Savers is a non-profit marine conservation organization dedicated to saving sharks and mantas through building awareness, education, and action. Focusing on action and results, Shark Savers’ programs result in more protections for sharks and mantas, locally and globally. By leveraging broad professional experience and ocean expertise, Shark Savers brings this important issue to the public in many compelling forms, motivating people to stop consuming sharks and shark fin soup, working for the creation of shark sanctuaries, and empowering divers as advocates and citizen scientists for sharks. For more information:
Shark Savers: https://mckenziewestmore.com
I’m FINished with Fins campaign: https://mckenziewestmore.com/en/our-programs/i-m-finished-with-fins/
About LUSH LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics has been driven by innovation and its ethics. Creators of pioneering beauty products such as the fizzing bath bombs, bubble bars, and solid shampoo bars, LUSH places emphasis on fresh ingredients like organic fruits and vegetables and the finest essential oils. LUSH operates a strict policy against animal testing, supports Fair Trade and Community Trade initiatives, and leads the cosmetics industry in combating over-packaging by developing products that can be sold ‘naked’ to the consumer. LUSH products are 100 percent vegetarian, 81 percent vegan, 69 percent preservative-free and 44 percent free of wasteful packaging with absolutely no animal testing being done on LUSH products or ingredients. These ethics are at the heart of the brand and will remain there with every new shop that opens globally. LUSH has 20 locations in Taiwan with over 820 worldwide in over 40 countries.
Visit http://www.lushtw.com.tw for more information.
About LCA To care for the animals is a starting point to care for life.
Based on the belief that "All Living Creatures Are Equal", the animal rights should be advocated, the animal welfare is to be endeavored, and the objectives of conserving wild animals and maintaining ecological balance are to be achieved.
Various appropriate actions through legislation and education are taken in order to save animals from tragic destiny such as captivity, torture, abandonment, injury, brutal killing and extermination. This will enable the "individual life" of each animal would possess at least its own life dignity and living right.
About Wildlife21 We are passionate about ensuring that at least some of our wildlife has a chance to make it to the next century – allowing future generations to experience and enjoy the immense diversity of wildlife our planet has to offer.
Our aim is to provide the means for people to extensively study a specific species, in order to develop a greater understanding and respect for that species. This will, in turn, ensure that species' protection. By doing this, we create a greater harmony between man and nature
About Gold Typhoon Gold Typhoon Group is one of the most influential music and artist management companies in greater China and represents many Chinese and international artists. Gold Typhoon’s senior management and production staff, along with its artist management and agent teams, work at the highest standards, releasing albums and digital music, and providing a full range of management and support services for artists and agents, including the arrangement of commercial performances and brand ambassadorships. Gold Typhoon is the exclusive licensee of EMI’s physical and digital music in China and Taiwan. Gold Typhoon also releases albums from European, American, Korean and Japanese artists. Gold Typhoon’s catalogue contains more than 600,000 Chinese and international songs.
About Wild Aid WildAid is the only organization to focus on reducing the demand for wildlife products with the strong and simple message: when the buying stops, the killing can too. WildAid works with Asian and Western celebrities and business leaders to dissuade people from purchasing wildlife products via public service announcements and educational initiatives, reaching up to one billion people per week in China alone. For more information, please visit http://www.wildaid.org.
For more information:
Shark Savers: Jonn Lu +886 9784 22287; jonn.lu@sharksaver.org
LUSH: Karen Chiu +886 28791-1198 ext 17
Notes to the editor:
Each year, the fins of tens of millions of sharks enter the shark fin trade.
Last year, 41 of the world’s most renowned marine scientists, academics and field researchers came together to write an open letter purposed to set the record straight once and for all, about the plight facing sharks worldwide.
An estimated 1/3 of all shark and ray species are threatened with extinction.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101026184209.htm
80% of open ocean shark species frequently targeted in high seas fisheries are threatened or near threatened with extinction.
All 14 species of shark most prevalent in the shark fin trade are Threatened or Near Threatened with extinction.
More information and references may be found at:
English Site: https://mckenziewestmore.com/en/our-programs/i-m-finished-with-fins/learn-more/
