Here is the list of signers and their comments through September 24, 2009, the day the petition was closed due to the successful outcome: the creation of the National Shark Sanctuary in Palau.
In addition to these signatures, we have received 164 signatures on paper from Japanese citizens, collected by Pangea Seed.
4156. Steve Contos, Little Neck, New York, United States
4155. Not pubicly disclosed Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
My family (5 divers, 1 non diver) takes diving trips around the world each year. Palau is on our list to go in a couple of years and we are looking forward to it, though I would definitely reconsider whether to go or not if a measure like this one is adopted. The opportunity to see sharks in a protected area would be invaluable, but I fear this bill would take away this chance. Please do not adopt this bill and continue to protect sharks.
4154. Ryan Nickel, Sacramento, California, United States
No sharks = Too many carnivorous fish = No herbivorous fish = Too much plankton
Please don't screw with the ecosystem of the ocean by taking away one of its top predators.
4153. Catherine Flynn, Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States
4152. Not pubicly disclosed Dublin, Ireland
4151. Christof Lang, Koeln, Germany
4150. Addie Lenox, Tempe, Arizona, United States
4149. Jaime Turner, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
4148. Not pubicly disclosed Toronto, Ontario, Canada
You kill sharks, you kill me...I cannot let that happen!!
4147. B Pelton, Phoenix, Arizona, United States
4146. Tracy Napp, Clear Lake, Minnesota, United States
4145. Carol Winter, Modesto, California, United States
4144. Not pubicly disclosed Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
4143. Not pubicly disclosed Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
4142. Mike Downs, Auxvasse, Missouri, United States
stop shark finning! Sharks are beautiful,and they do not need to be killed in any way,for any reason
4141. Sascha Grebe, Frankfurt, Germany
4140. David Ainsbury, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, United Kingdom
4139. Chris Calado, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
4138. Brooke Boroughs, Schererville, Indiana, United States
4137. Rene Gibb, Royal Oak, Michigan, United States
I just dove in Palau - what an awesome site to see the sharks playing in the current at the Blue Corner -
4136. Kelly McNulty, Boca Raton, Florida, United States
This is revolting to a normal human being
4135. Gloria Gilmore, Boca Raton, Florida, United States
Do we have to start civil disobedience to be Heard! I am ready willing and able any where and by any means!
4134. Christelle Texier, Varzay , France
Nous sommes à la maison 3 personnes contre La pêche au requin, de toute race. Notre fils de 8 ans de l
4133. Gudrun Dennis, Gainesville, Florida, United States
4132. Randy Preston, Corinth, Texas, United States
As a diver for the past 24 years I have traveled the world to pursue my diving. I seek out areas that have a diverse marine environment and especially seek out areas with a healthy shark population. I am strongly in favor of shark conversation as well as marine conservation. Our oceans our on the brink of collapse and need our help.
4131. Not publicly disclosed, Albuquerque, United States
4130. Riley Duren, South Pasadena, California, United States
As a member of the earth science research community who works daily with global issues of sustainability and as an avid diver having visited many parts of the world, I can say this is a very disturbing development.
This bill represents a critical fork in the road for Palau: either hang-tough and continue to serve as an international role model for sustainable development or be the latest to cave-in to pressure from big business.
In the past, Palau has been applauded for its vision in protecting its natural resources. Palau has played a prominent leadership role on the international stage as a role-model in balancing the economic needs of its people with responsible and ethical stewardship of the environment. To a large extent, this commitment of the Palauan people to sustainability is a strong incentive to myself and other divers in selecting Palau as a preferred travel destination. I have yet to encounter another nation blessed with both Palau's pristine marine resources and the foresight and character to protect them.
The proposed senate bill 8-44 represents an unfortunate about-face in Palauan policy. It seems to represent yet another victory of big business over traditional local values.
This same drama has played out numerous times in other parts of the world, always with the same sad results: precious natural resources are irreparably damaged, local people get poorer, and offshore businesses get richer. objective (independent) analysis of the facts show the true costs of relaxing protections outweigh the benefits.
Palau has a clear choice: either take the smart and ethical path and continue to protect your priceless natural resources (which will only grow in value over time as other parts of the world continue to decline) or squander everything on a quick buck (for a few people and offshore businesses).
Don't make the same mistakes the rest of us have. Hang tough, Palau.
4129. Michael Schaufler, Villach, Kaernten, Austria
The sharks have to stay in the ocean, everytime. Not in a soup.
4128. Venessa Komocar, Castaic, California, United States
4127. Melanie Wren, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
4126. Not publicly disclosed, Brussels, Belgium
4125. Not publicly disclosed, Tokyo, Japan
4124. Jun Matsumoto, Tokyo, Japan
4123. Amy Mainzer, Pasadena, California, United States
I came to Palau to see its sharks, and for Palau
4122. Not publicly disclosed, Grandview Plaza, Kansas, United States
Do not want this law PASSED!!
4121. Jan Wouters, Nieuwrode, Belgium
4120. Katrien Vandevelde, Hooghuis 39, Belgium
4119. Jeffery Smith, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
4118. Donald States, Glendale, Arizona, United States
4117. Christopher Weaver, Centereach, United States
Underwater Photographer: Help save sharks for future generations to come!
4116. Not publicly disclosed, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, United States
thank you.
4115. Sam Kerridge, Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom
4114. Ismael Oltra Barrasa, Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
4113. Not publicly disclosed, Brooklyn, New York, United States
4112. Bastiaan Vonckx, Ljubljana, Slovenia
4111. Not publicly disclosed, Delft, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
stop fishing sharks! nature is beautifull, and it should be like that in the future!
4110. Not publicly disclosed, Eindhoven, N-Brabant, Netherlands
4109. Corider Marie, Forges, Belgium
4108. Robbert Zalm, Amsterdam, Netherlands
4107. Daniel Soulas, Bordeaux , France
4106. Beryl Jones, Leicester, United Kingdom
4105. Samuel Varela, Dale city, Virginia, United States
4104. Ola Johansson, Borås, Sweden
I believe hunting sharks will destroy the balance of the entire ocean.
4103. Emmanuel Fusier, Nantes, France
4102. Mark Connolly, London, United Kingdom
4101. Stuart Craig, Centerville, Utah, United States
4100. Michi Lantz, Malmo, Sweden
4099. Sebastian Werner, Bensheim, Yukon,Germany, Germany
4098. Carol Tuskey, Hillsborough, North Carolina, United States
Please help save the sharks, we need to do the right thing for the planet and all its inhabitants
4097. Damian White, Harbor City, California, United States
I am saddened by the prospect that commercial shark fishing might be allowed in Palau. I hope that this bill does not pass and the Palau does the responsible thing by not allowing the continued overfishing of Sharks.
4096. Not publicly disclosed, Oxnard, California, United States
END THE KILLINGS OF THESE BEAUTIFUL expressionS OF LIFE!!!! NOW!!!
4095. Adam Turner, Seattle, Washington, United States
I hope this helps a little. The rate that we are killing our natural resources and environments is alarming. We have to save this beautiful creature. The world down to the air we breathe will be affected by his creatures departure.
4094. Teresa Wymetalek, Beaverton, Oregon, United States
4093. Jay Bailey, Red Bank, New Jersey, United States
Wrong is Wrong.
4092. Not publicly disclosed, Davie, Florida, United States
4091. Philipp Haase, Meßstetten, Germany
4090. Not publicly disclosed, Zamora, Spain
4089. Not publicly disclosed, DEnver, Colorado, United States
please please do not kill the sharks, I can't forget the image I saw on TV of how cruel that was to see them cut them off and throw them back to die.
Thank you very much.
4088. Lauren Turple, Dundas, Ontario, Canada
4087. Lanny Kho, Den Haag, Netherlands
4086. Dominique Ng, Baie du Tombeau, Mauritius
4085. Heather Kennedy, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
4084. Not publicly disclosed, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
4083. Not publicly disclosed, Auberry, California, United States
4082. Not publicly disclosed, Parker, Colorado, United States
4081. Not publicly disclosed, Bismarck, North Dakota, United States
4080. Oceanic Defense, Costa Mesa, California, United States
In a time when it is proven that shark populations are close to 90% extinct how could any Oceanic country even consider such a crime against nature?
As more information becomes public knowledge you risk losing the very tourist dollars that drive your economy.
Example:
The Republic of Palau also votes with Japan at the IWC to remove the moratorium on whaling in exchange for financial backing. You are NOT winning any international popularity contests.
Should Palau decide to vote for the killing of many more sharks to feed a brutal shark fin trade you will only be destroying your international reputation further. Palau is positioning itself for a major international campaign that will see many tourist choose other destinations more environmentally friend.
Please vote down Bill 8-44.
Oceanic Defense
4079. Hayashidani Shunji, Fukuoka, Japan
4078. Not publicly disclosed, Heemstede, Netherlands
4077. Colin Schedler, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
4076. Laurence Preuss, Lorient, France
Save the sharks!
They are the Lords , they are here to protect us!
4075. Not publicly disclosed, Princeton junction, United States
4074. Wendy Arsenault, Capitola, California, United States
Please don't let a top predator be fished to extinction, or the rest of the ocean's creatures will surely follow. Do the right thing.
Sincerely,
4073. Not publicly disclosed, Orlando, Florida, United States
4072. Damien Lynch, Birmingham, United Kingdom
4071. Not publicly disclosed, Tokyo, Japan
4070. Izumi Shimodaira, Tokyo, Japan
4069. Not publicly disclosd Speyer, Germany
4068. Shane McCully, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
stop the senates for signing the law
4067. Bela Pinto, Lahaina, Hawaii, United States
4066. Terrence Stahura, youngstown, Ohio, United States
4065. Donna McCullough, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
Foreign fishing entities are know to have voracious appetites with no regard to conservation and the value to the ecosystems. Let Palau natives do the fishing whereby you have complete control of your own resources, and then sell it to them.
4064. Not publicly disclosd Woodbridge, Connecticut, United States
4063. Rebekah Stein, Woodbridge, Connecticut, United States
4062. Eri Tsuchiya, Tokyo, Japan
4061. Jeffrey Puncher, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
4060. Miquel Armengol, Andorra, Andorra
I was the first Andorran to visit Palau, and I felt in love with their waters and dive sites. How can a sea land doing shark fishing ? I can't understand ! Why people from Palau are killing their treasure ???
4059. Katie Wittmer, Westfield, Massachusetts, United States
4058. Jorge Barraza, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
The greatest animal! Should be admired but feared.
4057. Vernon Carson, Turlock, California, United States