Nicole Thompson

The Australian Government needs to acknowledge that there is a considerable lack of reliable data on which to base shark management, their inherent vulnerability to overfishing and that the prospects for achieving ecologically sustainable shark fisheries in the future are very low. The shark fin trade creates many issues for the management of sharks, both in Australia and globally. The high price of shark fins has resulted in an increased take of sharks, while also increasing the incentive for illegal activity such as under-reporting of catch, finning at sea and foreign fishing. Australia needs to join other forward thinking nations like Hawaii, Palau and the Bahamas by implementing a complete ban on the sale, trade and distribution of shark products. I am a lover of sharks and will always do my part in helping to preserve our ocean's most beautiful creatures. 

Sincerely,

Nicole Thompson