Create your own "Ban the Fin" Campaign

Follow these steps to create your own Ban the Fin campaign:

1. Identify your school, university, workplace, home-owners association, church, sports team, or any other community group to sign on to Ban the Fin.

2. Send a Ban the Fin action letter from you, as Volunteer Campaign Captain, to your organization or group's leader. You can download a suggested letter template in Microsoft Word here. Replace the text in [square brackets] with your information, and customize the rest of the letter as you see fit.

3. Ask your friends, family, classmates or colleagues to also send a support letter to you group's leader. 

4. Follow-up your letter with a request for a meeting to discuss the possibility of creating an official Ban the Fin chapter within your group. Ban the Fin members pledge that they will not condone or participate in the sale, purchase, or possession of shark products.

5. Email Shark Savers at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it so that we know when and to whom you've sent the letter.

6. We will follow-up and support your campaign by sending an official commitment letter to your organization's leader.

7. Once your leader signs the letter, your organization will be an official Ban the Fin Shark Savers partner and will be added to the Fin-Free map!

Start a Facebook page or other social media site

• Find other active conservation groups and add them to your "friend" list. Enlist local dive shops, schools, universities and community organizations to expand the reach of your page.

• Share your local content on the Shark Savers Facebook page. If you 'Like' the Shark Savers Facebook page, we can friend you and help spread the word about your campaign.

Create a "Ban the Fin [your town]" Petition

• This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to develop a joint petition.

• Address your Ban the Fin petition to your Mayor or City Manager. Use the Shark Savers materials to describe the importance of protecting sharks and ending the demand for shark fins at the local level.

• Promote your petition through Facebook and other social media to generate more signatures from your community.

• Contact local dive shops, schools, universities and community organizations to support and sign your petition.

• When you’ve reached your target number of signatures, submit the petition to your local city or town council with a cover letter using the Shark Savers template.

• Follow up to find out if the local leaders are willing to consider your proposal. If so, encourage as many supporters as possible to attend and speak up in support of the measure to Ban the Fin at public meetings where the proposal is being discussed. Provide supporters with talking points, you can This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Make sure everyone understands the guidelines. For example, many public meetings have a two-minute limit per speaker.

Host an Official "Ban the Fin Day" Event

Dedicate a day to galvanizing your community or group around shark conservation and make it fun. Here are some suggestions:

• At the event, ask guests to take action by signing a petition, writing a letter, or organizing their own events to support your Ban the Fin campaign. Shark Savers will provide materials you can use.
• Host a shark conservation party or movie-night at your house, lunch room, dorm room, local park or community center. Sharkwater or This is your Ocean: Sharks are great movies that will help educate and raise awareness about the issues facing sharks.

Give a Shark Savers Presentation

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