Andy and I share an interest in sharks (although he’s certainly got more experience with them than I do!). Today, he writes a nice post about a huge threat facing our favorite fishes: finning. This is the practice of catching sharks, slicing off their fins, and throwing them back into the water to die. The reason? Shark Fin Soup. It’s a delicacy, and companies are willing to pay top dollar for shark fins. Problem is, sharks are being slaughtered in record numbers, to the point where areas once brimming with the amazing predators are now almost completely devoid of them. It’s bad news for the whole marine ecosystem to lose apex predators. What can you do? Help the anti-finning movement by avoiding any restaurant that sells Shark Fin Soup. Visit site »
A new juvenile white shark was introduced into the Outer Bay exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium on August 28. This is the aquarium’s third white shark, and Monterey Bay is the only aquarium that has ever kept a white shark alive for any length of time at all. As I recall, the first two were there for about nine and six months, respectively, before they needed to be freed back into the Pacific Ocean. So, if you’re in the bay area, get yourself to the aquarium and check out the white shark while it’s there — it won’t last forever! Visit site »