Do you know of the critical plight of sharks? They are the keystone species for the oceans. They are more important alive than dead. Sharks are essential to the health of our oceans. As apex predators, sharks maintain a critical balance in the ocean. When sharks are eliminated, disastrous effects can happen further down the food chain, including the collapse of commercial fisheries and degradation of coral reefs. Ecosystems with healthy shark populations have higher numbers of fish.
A third of shark species are threatened with extinction. Some populations have plummeted by over 90%. Sharks cannot easily recover from overfishing because they reproduce slowly, taking years to mature and producing few offspring.
This shark tournament is clearly an ecological irresponsible act.
Together let's make The Vineyard a shark free harbor, urge these fishermen to catch and release as an alternative to the 'Jaws' trophy hunt that occurs here each summer.