Why should companies speak out against shark tournaments?
The populations of most shark species are plummeting, which makes them particularly vulnerable to competitions that target the largest sharks.
Shark tournaments are inherently cruel: Sharks are hauled onto docks, strung up and weighed, and then dismembered in grotesque displays for cash prizes.
Regardless of organizers’ claims, these gruesome kill events are about sport, not science. And they demonize sharks and disrespect the environment.
If you wish to have your company pledge support to shark conservation, not shark killing tournaments, click the following link. PROTECT SHARKS BUSINESS PLEDGE

Fishpond Supports the Next Generation of Shark Fishing Competitions at The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge
May 17, 2010 (Silverthorne, Colo.) – Fishpond, inc., prominent outdoor and fishing equipment manufacturer, stands behind the movement to make shark fishing tournaments catch-and-release only as part of their Troubled Waters campaign, designed to raise awareness of unbalanced ecosystems. The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge is a tournament intended to support shark protection and further conservation initiatives and aligns perfectly with the tenets of fishpond’s campaign.
The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge is a catch-and-release only competition off the Southwest Florida coast that concludes with a Grand Championship Finale May 21-23rd at the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota. Competitors will catch sharks and scientists will tag them for conservation research and to learn more about these animals’ lives in the wild. This tournament is intended to increase global awareness of the important role that sharks play in the world’s oceans ecosystems.
“I’m attending the tournament finale to illustrate to everyone involved the importance of protecting these magnificent species from senseless killings that regularly occur in shark fishing tournaments,” notes John Le Coq, co-founder of fishpond. “Fishpond must lead by example to influence the destructive perceptions of the magnificent sharks that roam our oceans in peril.”
As a company, fishpond is very aware of the rising demands on our natural resources, and it is our responsibility to educate and promote the ethical treatment of all fish species. By aligning ourselves with organized events that embrace this stewardship and responsibility, we can enlighten spectators and other anglers about the fragility of our water environments.
Fishpond joins the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to speak out against shark tournaments. Together, fishpond and the HSUS see catch-and-release shark tournaments as a more humane alternative to catch-and-kill tournaments. This tournament format will help support necessary protection as well as provide crucial research to better understand sharks’ lives in their natural habitats.
About fishpond:
Fishpond is a worldwide brand of products designed and manufactured for fishing and outdoor enthusiasts. Fishpond was created with the philosophy that innovation, design and a responsibility towards the environment from which we draw our inspiration is critical to our success.
For more information, visit www.fishpondusa.com and www.protectsharks.org

About The HSUS:
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty – On the Web at humanesociety.org.

Catch-and-Release Shark Tournament Series is a New Model
for Sport Fishing of Predators

(April 19, 2010) – Sport fishing, science, business and humane interests are coming together for the first time in support of a new kind of catch-and-release fishing tournament for sharks that demonstrates that a fishing competition really can support shark protection while providing the excitement that spectators and anglers have come to expect.

The new Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge series is a catch-and-release only competition off the southwest Florida coast, beginning with a qualifying round April 30 – May 2 at Burnt Store Marina in Lee County and concluding with a Grand Championship Finale May 21-23 at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota. During the tournament, fishermen will compete by catching sharks, and scientists will tag the sharks for conservation research purposes to learn more about the animals’ travels in the wild. Not a single shark will be brought back to the dock — instead, spectators will be able to watch the action live via video from the boats.

“For the first time, what we call a ‘love ’em and leave ’em’ shark tournament will be transformed into a true spectator sport,” said Sean Paxton. He and his brother, Brooks, known as the Shark Brothers, are creators and directors of the event. Along with Co-Director and Associate Producer Capt. Robert Moore, they said: “Our shared vision for this tournament is to effectively combine the goals of sport, science and conservation. By leveraging modern broadcast technology, we’ll also be providing spectators onshore with an exciting and educational multimedia experience.”

The Humane Society of the United States views the Ultimate Shark Challenge tournament design as a dramatically more humane alternative to traditional catch-and-kill shark tournaments. “We know shark species are in decline and that we need to better understand their life histories in the wild,” said John Grandy, Ph.D., senior vice president of HSUS. “We think this tournament format will help support necessary protection for sharks who would have died in a traditional kill tournament.”

This innovative tournament was developed in 2009 when the Paxtons approached Robert Hueter, Ph.D., director of Mote Marine Laboratory’s Center for Shark Research, about the idea of an exclusively catch-and-release shark tournament. Hueter had run a successful all-release shark tournament from 1989 to 1998 along the southwest Florida coast. Together with Capt. Moore, the group then teamed up with renowned marine wildlife artist, scientist and conservationist Guy Harvey, Ph.D., to present a model for responsible sport fishing that promotes shark protection.

Harvey, a longtime marine conservationist and founder of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, said the tournament will increase global awareness of the important role that sharks play in the world’s oceans and our ecosystem. “The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge Tournament Series will be a uniquely exciting event for participants, spectators and everyone who cares about the future of our oceans,” he said.

Hueter and staff from Mote’s Center for Shark Research will oversee the scientific aspects of the tournament, including tagging operations. Tagging will be done in partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University and is being supported by Lee County.

Scientists plan to attach identification tags to as many sharks as possible and outfit up to 15 sharks with satellite-linked transmitters that will track shark movements after release. Hammerhead and bull sharks will be the focus of the satellite tagging efforts, but other species may be tagged as well. The satellite tags are designed to transmit location and other information about the shark’s travels when the animal’s dorsal fin breaks the surface of the water.

Once the satellite tags are deployed, the public will be able to follow these sharks’ travels on the Internet for as long as one year or more.

“This project will provide a breakthrough in collaborative research involving the marine scientific and recreational fishing communities,” Hueter said. “The fishermen deserve great credit for embracing this new approach. By working together to develop a 21st-century, conservation-oriented alternative to the more traditional ‘kill’ tournament, the Mote Center for Shark Research and tournament organizers hope to provide a national model for the responsible use of marine resources.”

Supporting tournament organizers in this collaborative effort are Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah; Luke Tipple, director of the Shark-Free Marinas Initiative; and John Land Le Coq, co-founder of Fishpond USA, a prominent outdoor and fishing equipment retailer. All involved share a view that this event should become the “next generation” model for shark fishing competitions.

“Shark-Free Marinas has been involved with the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge since its inception and is in full support of its methodology,” Tipple said. “Sharks need protection and we need to manage the ways we utilize their stocks. In the past, some shark fishing tournaments have killed reproductively capable sharks, which are a dwindling resource. This catch-and-release format offers the best of both worlds where the sport of shark fishing will directly contribute to our scientific understanding of their population status and functional life history.”

Le Coq and Fishpond are also concerned about the status of sharks. “Fishpond must lead by example to influence the destructive perceptions of the magnificent sharks that roam our oceans in peril, and to help end the kill-oriented tournaments that have traditionally existed in ports around our country,” Le Coq stated. 

Sharks will be caught using heavy conventional tackle, to reduce time between hook-up and release of sharks, and the fishermen will use inline, non-stainless steel circle hooks that minimize injury to the sharks. Sharks will be measured in the water and then outfitted with either conventional ID or satellite tracking tags. Tail snares and other special equipment will be used for angler and animal safety, as well as for humane handling and release of the sharks.

For team entry forms and event details, please visit: www.TheUltimateSharkChallenge.com.

Qualifying Round
When: April 30 – May 2
Where: Burnt Store Marina, 3192 Matecumbe Key Rd., Punta Gorda, Fla.

Grand Championship Finale
When: May 21 – 23
Where: Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, Fla.

Shark conservation facts:
Many shark species are imperiled worldwide. According to the World Conservation Union, about one-fifth of the 547 species of sharks and rays evaluated are considered threatened with extinction.
Threshers, tigers, makos and blue sharks are all targeted in shark tournaments, along with hammerhead and bull sharks.
There is still insufficient information available to evaluate the conservation status of about 100 shark species, many of which are also caught in tournaments.
Anglers can be important collaborators in shark conservation efforts. Mote scientists have tagged more than 20,000 sharks over the past 20 years along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with most tag returns by sport fishermen. Tagging allows Mote scientists to study shark abundance, movements and population dynamics, providing data for better management of shark populations.

Contacts
Tournament Directors: 941-416-1788 / 5073, Directors@TheUltimateSharkChallenge.com
Mote Marine Laboratory Media Contact: Hayley Rutger, 941-374-0081, hrutger@mote.org
Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation: 1-800-288-1227, info@guyharveyoceanfoundation.org
HSUS Media Contact: Liz Bergstrom, 301-258-1455, ebergstrom@humanesociety.org

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About Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation
Founded by marine biologist and artist Guy Harvey, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation is an organization of philanthropists, conservationists, scientists and educators focused on developing sensible strategies for promoting the conservation of our oceans and nurturing the next generation of marine scientists and guardians of our seas. 

About The HSUS:
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the Web at humanesociety.org.

About Mote:
Founded in 1955, Mote Marine Laboratory is an independent nonprofit marine research organization. Mote is dedicated to advancing the science of the sea through the study of marine and estuarine ecosystems, through our public Mote Aquarium and through an education division that provides unique programs for all ages. Throughout 2010, Mote is celebrating its 55th Anniversary with special events highlighting its groundbreaking ocean research and outreach. Learn more at www.mote.org/55.

We’re all Connected and Affected

Directly or indirectly, we are all affected by Troubled Waters. Whether on a local, national or global scale, our reservoirs are shrinking, our lakes, ponds and rivers for wildlife are contaminated and our water is not safe for drinking. There is an unbalanced ecosystem in our world’s waters and we are all experiencing the results, but most importantly, our ocean’s wildlife is being affected. fishpond is taking action. Shark tournaments are one major factor in causing Troubled Waters and fishpond is responding to the senseless killings. Nearly 76 million sharks are killed annually, most just for their fins. Unconscionable numbers of these are strung as trophies in tournaments – at this rate it will be unlikely that these ancient species will survive.

Mote Marine Laboratory and The Humane Society of the United States Laud Upcoming Ultimate Shark Challenge

(March 16, 2010) —The Mote Marine Laboratory and The Humane Society of the United States (The HSUS) are pleased to announce that the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge, a novel and progressive catch and release tournament, will begin with a “kick-off round” on April 30th, 2010 to be followed by a Grand Championship Finale that will take place May 21-23 in Sarasota, FL.
Sean Paxton and Brooks Paxton II (The Shark Brothers) and Dr. Guy Harvey, scientist, conservationist, and founder of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, are sponsoring this event. Joining this team is Dr. Robert E. Hueter, director of Mote Marine Laboratory’s Center for Shark Research; Ray Judah, Lee County Florida District 3 Commissioner; John Land Le Coq, co-founder of Fishpond USA; Luke Tipple, director of Shark-Free Marinas; and various other supporters. This effort is joined and endorsed by Dr. John Grandy, senior vice president of The Humane Society of the United States, who sees this as a pioneering effort to reduce the killing of sharks, and to increase awareness about the plight of sharks, while furthering valuable shark research.
This event signifies an important and historic milestone by bringing together those from the scientific, business, fishing, and humane communities jointly speaking out for shark protection. By promoting responsible catch and release tournaments and calling for an end to traditional kill shark tournaments, the Ultimate Shark Challenge leadership team hopes to set a new standard for responsible marine stewardship.
Sharks will be photographed live when they are caught and measured and their catch and release will be the subject of live video feed back to the docks so that spectators can share the excitement of a safe offshore release. The sharks will be caught using circle hooks and measured and tagged using tail snares and special equipment provided by AFTCO Manufacturing Company. These procedures will be employed to avoid injury to the sharks and to promote safe, humane release. All individual sharks will be tagged, with satellite and/or conventional tags designed to enhance shark survival, and released by Mote Marine Lab’s shark research program in partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University. No sharks will be killed, or subject to destructive invasive procedures, and they will be immediately released at sea.
By promoting the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge as a way for sport fishermen to participate in the conservation of shark species, we hope to inspire other tournaments to take this approach as well. Sharks are vital components of the marine environment and commercial kill shark tournaments contribute to their decline. We hope that this upcoming competition will become a “next generation model” regarding future shark fishing tournaments.

Poaching:
Sharks are imperiled worldwide. According to the World Conservation Union, approximately one-fifth of the 547 species of sharks and rays evaluated are considered threatened with extinction.
Threshers, tigers, makos, and blue sharks are all targets of kill shark tournaments, with the porbeagle shark being one of the most depleted.
There is still insufficient information available to evaluate the status of about 100 of these species, many of which are also caught in kill shark tournaments.

Media Contact: Liz Bergstrom, 301-258-1455, ebergstrom@humanesociety.org

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Follow The HSUS on Twitter.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.

“For a river system to remain healthy, it needs to stay in the watershed where it is birthed.” Friends of the Eel River

The Eel River is California’s third largest watershed and was once the third largest producer of salmon, and second largest producer of steelhead in the state. It contributed to what was a billion dollar a year salmon industry in California that is now moribund due to mismanagement of water resources. The Eel River was considered a world-class fishery, but now sports fishing and its economic contribution to the region is virtually nonexistent. This fishery was the first to fail on the north coast, before the Klamath and before the Sacramento River. The Eel River’s headwaters are dammed and diverted to the Russian River, taking more than half of this cold, clean water so necessary for a healthy fishery to mask the problems on the Russian River. Its dams are now a century old; blocking spawning and rearing habitat so necessary to this once vital fishery and holding back much needed gravels for a fully operative river system.

The Eel River has received both State (1972) and Federal (1981) Wild and Scenic River designation, a title which is to protect the river from dams and ensure that environmental concerns rank equally with development and industry. However, Eel River water, fish, and ecosystem have been, and continue to be, consistently violated and exploited.

Friends of the Eel River (FOER), have been working for 16 years to correct and stop the abuse that has lead to the near-collapse of the Eel River; a nearly 4,000 square mile watershed in northern California. Rivers and watersheds respond and heal when humans stop destructive practices. Please help FOER heal the Eel by joining our efforts to remove two antiquated dams and close a water diversion tunnel owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) that supplies water to the Russian River via their Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project (PVP). The 9 mega watts of power this project produces for less then half the year, is not cost effective and is destructive to both fish and a once healthy watershed. This is truly an unsustainable water delivery system in the guise of a power plant.

About Friends of the Eel River

Friends of the Eel River (FOER), was founded in 1994 and has been acknowledged and praised for its devotion to the monitoring, defense and advocacy of the Eel River watershed. Through the education and support of residents, businesses and visitors in this third largest watershed in California, FOER has become a formidable challenger of large corporations and public agencies in the interest of preserving California’s North Coast public trust resources. FOER is supported by over 2500 members, a solid volunteer base, a large contingent of scientists and fisheries experts, sport fishing alliances, river enthusiasts, and concerned citizens who are working together to meet the challenges to the Eel River’s watershed integrity.

In addition to many legal interventions and victories on behalf of the Eel River , FOER has allied with advocates of the Russian River watershed to address the damages caused by the Eel River ’s diversion to the Russian River ; specifically the high flows that are threatening the State and federally listed Russian River ’s endangered species of salmon and steelhead. Through this alliance, Friends of the Eel highlights the need for bioregions to work together for the benefit of watershed integrity. Healthy forests, soils, fish, wildlife, air, and rivers are all of our concern and legacy. For more information visit www.eelriver.org

Legal Action against the State of California Water Resources Board Taken by Friends of the Eel River

FOER filed legal action on March 1, 2010, against the State of California Water Resources Board (SWRCB), challenging that PG&E’s use of Eel River water, for an inefficient source of power generation, is not a reasonable use of the water, and therefore violates public trust resources in both the Eel and Russian Rivers, including threatened and endangered Coho and Chinook salmon and steelhead. We must act quickly as the fish are on the verge of total collapse. We would like to work with PG&E and SWRCB to restore this extraordinary jewel of the public trust. The legal petition, protest, and exhibits, can be found at: http://eelriver.org/news_updates.php

Please send your support for the action taken by Friends of the Eel River to:

State Water Resources Control Board
Attn: Vicky Whitney
P.O. Box 100
Sacramento, CA 95812-0100
www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/

Peter Darbee, CEO
Pacific Gas and Electric
One Market, Spear Tower
San Francisco, CA 94105-1126
415-267-7000

By BEN EVANS, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – Nearly a dozen shark-attack victims — many of them badly scarred or missing limbs — pressed Congress on Wednesday to protect a sea creature they’d rather not run into again.
The group wants to strengthen laws protecting sharks from “finning,” in which fins are sliced from sharks for their meat, leaving the fish for dead.The growing market for fin meat, a popular soup delicacy in Asia, threatens many shark species around the world, they say.
“We bring pretty instant credibility,” said Chuck Anderson, a school athletic director from Summerdale, Ala., who spent 13 days in intensive care and lost most of his right arm after being attacked by a bull shark in 2000 while swimming off Gulf Shores, Ala. “I’ve yet to run into anyone who disagrees with us.”
Anderson and other attack victims wore white T-shirts reading “Shark Attack Survivors for Shark Conservation” as they met with senators and staffers. The lobbying blitz was organized by the Pew Environment Group to pass a bill strengthening language in an existing ban on finning in U.S. waters.
The measure, which supporters say would close loopholes and allow for stronger enforcement, easily passed the House by voice vote in March and has been introduced in the Senate by Sen. John Kerry, D- Mass. Among other things, it would prohibit sea vessels from carrying illegal fins whether they fished them or not, and it would allow the U.S. to call attention to other nations that are not following through with finning bans.
Anderson and Al Brenneka, who lost his right arm to a seven-foot lemon shark while surfing off Delray Beach, Fla., in 1976, said their attacks prompted them to learn more about sharks and, ultimately, to believe that humans are a far greater threat to them than they are to people.
“I don’t think it’s right for me to be angry. I went into their environment,” said Anderson, who said the bull shark that attacked him pulled him 15 feet to the bottom of the ocean, flipping him around “like a ragdoll,” before snapping off his arm.
Brenneka, who lost so much blood after his attack that his heart stopped temporarily, said he felt some resentment initially. But “after a while you learn that it’s really not the sharks that are doing anything wrong,” he said.
“They’re actually a shy animal, and when they do attack it’s a freak occurrence,” said Brenneka, a computer repairman from Spring Hope, N.C. “I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Shark attacks are extremely rare. There were 59 worldwide last year, four of them fatal, according to
George Burgess, a leading shark expert who directs the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida’s Museum of Natural History.
Meanwhile, a study released last month by the International Union for Conservation of Nature found that roughly a third of all sharks worldwide are in danger of extinction. The threatened species include hammerheads, the great white and mako sharks.
The organization said sharks killed at sea are often used only for their fin meat or are incidental bycatch as fishermen seek tuna and swordfish. Finning has been banned in most international waters, but advocacy groups say the rules are poorly enforced.
___ The Senate bill is S. 850.

Editorial
Save the sharks

Published on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010

Vilified, maligned and abused, some species of sharks are vulnerable to extinction.

Fortunately wildlife agencies and conservationists, recognizing that sharks are invaluable to the survival of marine ecosystems, are taking steps to ensure that threats to these fascinating creatures aren’t left unchecked.

Recently, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved a series of rules to enhance its policy to protect stressed shark populations in Florida waters. The rules mirror recent management measures that have been established for sharks in coastal waters from Florida to Maine.

Sharks have been strictly regulated in Florida since 1992 with a one-fish-per-person/two-fish-per-vessel daily bag limit for all recreational and commercial harvesters, a prohibition on nearly two dozen overfished or rare shark species, and a ban on the cruel and wasteful practice of harvesting only shark fins.

Sharks fins are used in the Far East for fin soups, considered a traditional dish for honoring special guests for occasions. Finning occurs mostly in high-seas fisheries hundreds of miles offshore.

Since most sharks grow slowly, mature late and give birth after a long gestation period, populations shrink rapidly when sharks are targeted by fisheries.

According to Shark Trust, a charitable organization established in the United Kingdom in 1997, some Atlantic populations of sharks have declined up to 90 percent in the last 15 years. A whale shark pectoral fin can sell for up to $15,000 in the United States.

As of 2008, 23 species of sharks worldwide are considered to be facing a high risk of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Among those are the great white shark, whale shark and leopard shark. Sixteen species face a very high risk of extinction, including several types of angel sharks and the Borneo shark.

The new state rules prohibit harvest of sandbar, silky and Caribbean sharpnose sharks from state waters. Sandbar sharks are considered overfished and are experiencing overfishing, which means that fishing pressure is too high to be sustainable. Silky sharks are highly vulnerable to overexploitation.

The rules also establish a 54-inch fork length minimum size limit for all sharks, except Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, bonnethead, finetooth and blacktip sharks and smooth dogfish. This will help protect the juveniles of 14 species of sharks in Florida waters.

The species where no size limit is required are considered to be at healthy population levels or don’t warrant a minimum-size limit.

In a related action, the FWC has proposed a draft rule that would prohibit all recreational and commercial harvest of lemon sharks from Florida waters. Lemon sharks are slow-growing, produce relatively few offspring and are highly susceptible to fishing pressure.

A final public hearing on the proposed lemon shark rule will be held during the February FWC meeting in Apalachicola.

Such rules, spurred by research and recognition of the threats to shark habitats, are encouraging.

Our fear of sharks is misplaced. Instead, we should fear that they become extinct.

- This 1,192 lb. Tiger Shark was caught and killed at the Monster Shark tournament in Martha’s Vineyard.

Fishpond USA Joins The HSUS in Urging an End to Destin’s Shark Saturdays

(Sept. 29, 2009) — As shark populations face serious threats from overfishing along the East Coast, The Humane Society of the United States has been joined by Fishpond USA in urging an end to Shark Saturdays, held in conjunction with the Destin Fishing Rodeo. The event is scheduled for every Saturday in October. Whoever catches the biggest shark that day wins a $250 prize.

“Shark tournaments are a disgrace to the environment and to the community. Destin should stop playing host to this kind of brutality,” said John Land Le Coq, co-founder of Fishpond USA. Fishpond USA is a major fishing equipment and outdoor manufacturing company.

“The Humane Society of the United States applauds Fishpond USA for recognizing the serious threats to shark populations worldwide and supporting the campaign to end shark tournaments,” said John W. Grandy, Ph.D., The HSUS’ senior vice president for wildlife and habitat protection. “It’s time to end Shark Saturdays, and other events like it that encourage the killing of these apex predators already imperiled by overfishing and finning.”

Sharks caught by fishermen in tournaments suffer greatly. “Keeper” animals brought back to shore are hung and weighed, sometimes while still barely alive. The animals are then dismembered in front of crowds that frequently include children. Nothing could be less educational or more degrading to sharks and shark conservation than the cheers and jeers that greet the display and awarding of prize money for the biggest dead shark.

Last year, The Humane Society of the United States successfully shut down a shark tournament in Destin held by the Fishing Museum.

Facts
• The shark species caught in the Destin tournament have ranges that extend along the East Coast into Canada, and as far away as Europe.
• According to a 2008 study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, thresher, mako and porbeagle sharks, which are frequent targets of tournaments, are threatened with worldwide extinction and blue sharks have lost up to 70 percent of their worldwide population.

As a company, fishpond is very aware of the rising demands on our natural resources, especially from a water based perspective. As a recreational fishing products company with dealers around the globe, we feel it is our responsibility to educate and promote the ethical treatment of all fish species, and to promote the concept of “catch and release” as the foundation for all aspects of angling. By aligning ourselves with organinzed events that embrace this stewardship and responsibility of releasing fish unharmed back into their environment, we can enlighten spectators and other anglers about the fragility of our water environments, and to become more proactive and protective of our planets well being.

Fishpond must lead by example to influence the maligned perceptions of the magnificent sharks that roam our oceans in peril, and to help end the “kill oriented” tournaments that have traditionally existed in ports around our country.

Fishpond is a worldwide brand of products designed and manufactured for the fishing and outdoor enthusiast. We created our company with the knowledge that we have a responsibility towards the environment from which we draw our inspiration. We feel deeply that no specie of animal should ever be harvested in the name of sport, especially if the target specie is not intended to be eaten as the primary purpose.

We encourage our consumer base to engage in a cause that directly affects their heart and passions. In conservation, as in as in every other facet of life, none of us can do everything, but each of us can do something. We call it the “ripple effect”…..the collective impact of individuals performing in an environmentally conscious manner and leading to lasting change…in thinking, in deeds and in results. Conservation of our natural world is a shared responsibility. With each step forward…each new ripple we create….we move closer to becoming a company that embodies a vision of a sustainable environment.

Fishpond supports an end to all “kill” tournaments and the enforcement of catch and release regulations in order to sustain shark populations while teaching environmental responsibility.

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