HELP STOP SHARK FINNING!!!
SHARKMAN'S WORLD ORGANIZATION LAUNCHES GLOBAL BOYCOTT.

On Wednesday 25th. October 2006, Sharkman's World Organization launched a global boycott against all those suppliers and dealers that trade in Shark fins.

Alex 'The Sharkman' Buttigieg, founder of Sharkman's World Organization issued a letter that is being sent out to all those dealing in the shark finning trade. The main target is ALIBABA.COM, a company that offers trading services for shark fins, but the boycott also includes suppliers, dealers, sellers, restaurants and outlets world wide.

'It is high time that this issue is taken on seriously. Something has to be done about it before sharks vanish completely from our oceans.', says Alex. 'People need to wake up and realize what is going on and that shark populations have decreased by 90% in these last few years. Action needs to be taken now.'

Sharkman's World Organization urges everyone to participate in this global boycott.

Dear Sirs.

On behalf of all the Members of SHARKMAN'S WORLD ORGANIZATION, I would like to inform you that we will not be dealing with any of the Sellers, Importers and Exporters that deal with the ALIBABA company.

This action is taken in view of the fact that ALIBABA is one of the world's foremost suppliers of Shark Fins.

Whilst shark fin soup might be considered as a delicacy in a handful of countries, the rest of the world see it as a wasteful exploitation of species that are in sharp decline and considered as endangered. Removing sharks from the oceans will result in an ecological imbalance and the damage to the marine world will not be reversible.

It is for this reason that this Organization and its members will be taking the following actions:-

1) Global Boycott of the ALIBABA Company.

2) Global Boycott to any Importer or Exporter that deals with Alibaba.

3) Global Boycott to any shop, outlet or restaurant that offer shark fins.

4) Global Boycott of all known Shark Fin Suppliers.

We will also be spreading the word to all our contacts via the media and the Internet.

More information about Shark Finning can be seen at www.sharkmans-world.org/sos.htm

Yours respectfully

Alex 'Sharkman' Buttigieg (Founder)

Sharkman's World Organization
(to save & protect sharks)
www.sharkmans-world.org

P.O. Box 31

San Gwann

SGN 01

Malta

The Hunter Hunted !!

For around 350 million years, even before the Dinosaurs, Sharks have ruled the oceans of the world. Other creatures that evolved after have become extinct, yet Sharks continued to evolve and survived. But how long will they last? Will they survive the next thousand years?

These magnificent, mysterious and misunderstood creatures, like every other animal on this planet, must hunt its food to survive. Research has showed us that although Sharks are very good hunters, they can also survive for weeks without eating.

Since mankind started making use of the Sea, stories of horrific encounters with man-eating monsters have been told. These monsters soon became the worst real nightmare for anyone venturing into the water. There are approximately 450 different shark species, and today, we know that out of these, only a handful are considered as a risk to humans. Records show that the average number of Shark attacks in one year is less than a hundred worldwide, and of these, less than 8% are fatal. So Sharks are not the monsters that our ancestors claimed them to be.

Where than is the Danger? There is minimal danger to humans but now let us look at the other side of the issue. We know that Sharks mature very late in life, {between 7 to 30 years old} and that the reproduction cycle can take as long as 2 years.

Sharks are now facing huge problems that unless something is done, they will not see the next millenium. Pollution of our oceans is a big problem for sharks, but it is not the biggest. The worst is over-fishing. Sharks have always been hunted for many reasons mainly revenge, souvenirs, clothing.... etc.... but now they are also being hunted in massive amounts for food.

Millions of Sharks are being massacred every year just for the sake of having their fins cut off for an oriental dish called "Shark Fin Soup". The process is that when the Shark is caught, the fins and tail are chopped off and the mutilated Shark is thrown back into the water to die a slow painful death, or be savagely attacked by other hungry predators.

Recent study has shown that around 100 millionSharks were massacred world wide every year. This means that every minute of the day, 190 sharks are being finned alive. This figure is about 200 times more than it was in 1995. Just for the sake of this so-called aphrodisiac dish that costs around $30. So whilst those hunting the Sharks are getting very rich, the sharks are being wiped out.

Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, are the largest producers of Shark Fin Soup, killing over 700,000 sharks every year and slowly their Ships are invading all the Oceans of the World, even here in the Mediterranean. As soon as one area is considered to have no more sharks around, they move off to another location. This trade in the orient has grown to such extent that the Gang Wars by traders have out grown those of the Mafia.

A number of Countries have already banned Shark finning including the USA. and even as I write this, Shark conservation groups are lobbying for a world wide ban on shark finning.

Looking back at the Statistics, 6.5 Million sharks are killed by humans for every 1 human that Dies from a Shark attack in a year!!! If nothing is done about this scandal ... there will be NO sharks in the next Millennium.

©Alex "The Sharkman" Buttigieg 19/9/2007