California AB 376 to be voted on by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, August 25. California residents: If you haven't already done so, please contact your senators today.

Lush Cosmetics once again joins Shark Savers on the campaign to ban the shark fin trade and consumption, following our successful collaboration in Hong Kong. The campaign will last a week, beginning August 22. In California, Lush and Shark Savers will work together to increase awareness and support for AB 376, the bill to ban the shark fin trade. In the remainder of the United States and Canada, we will similarly increase awareness of the issue as well as gather petition signatures to support future initiatives to ban the shark fin trade in other states and provinces.

Visit Lush and see their campaign page, here.

Here is Lush's press release:

Powerful witness testimony to the Committee was provided by actress and conservation activist Bo Derek, Shark Savers' Director Sue Chen, and Wild Aid Executive Director Peter Knights. Personal statements of support were also given by all the Shark Day attendees young and old, from all walks of life, some in ties and some in shark suits!!

California Assembly Bill AB 376, which would ban the possession, sale, and trade of shark fins in the State of California, will be heard before the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Monday, August 15th in Sacramento. If you are a California resident, please contact the members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations to voice your support for the bill.

Shark Savers Canada successfully held its first event June 25th and 26th at the 23rd Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) held six public workshops about increasing protections for sharks all over the state. Those workshops are now complete.

The following is the text of an email sent to Jonn Lu, Shark Savers Hong Kong, from Chip Scarlett, a member of Shark Savers Board of Directors. The email congratulates Jonn and the team for the outstanding effort and success of the shark fin soup campaign event conducted with Lush Cosmetics. We provide it here as a way of reinforcing the value of grassroots action in our conservation activities and to thank our volunteers in Hong Kong and throughout the world.

As the world’s shark populations are forced towards the brink of extinction due to global demand for shark fin soup and other shark products, Shark Savers and Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics joined together to bring the message of sharks to the people of Hong Kong.

Many California residents contacted the committee members to express their support for the bill prior to the meeting. This action was clearly evident in the Senators' responses to testimony. Shark Savers expresses our heartfelt thanks to all of you who took the time to contact Senators. Following the testimony, the committee members elected to postpone voting on the bill for two weeks, until June 28th, to allow supporters and opposition the opportunity to submit additional information.

Shark Savers, an international shark conservation organization, joined Aguilar for the crossing as a way to call attention to the ocean and its sharks. On the way over to the drop-off point near Cuba, Aguilar’s support boat crew spotted a bait ball (a ball of bait fish) surrounded by sharks. Rather than fearing their presence the crew took it all in stride as a good sign of a healthy ocean ecosystem.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is holding public workshops about increasing protections for Florida sharks. All Floridians who care about our oceans: please join to provide public comment to add Hammerheads and Tigers to Florida's protected list of species!

Please contact Shark Savers -- This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it -- to let us know if you will be able to attend any of these Workshops.  We will connect you with Shark Savers staff and members planning to attend the Workshop and answer any questions you might have.