via Small Scales
by the Ecology Action Centre‘s Marine Team
Photograph by Jeff Litton / Marine Photobank
As the hot summer months are upon us, the annual event that is “Shark Week” is once again in full force. Some of us Canadians have been waiting a whole year for Shark Week, while others are interested because they simply need to fill the void created by the end of the sixth season of Game of Thrones. However, as we celebrate the legendary power and evolutionary success of sharks for a week, and consider the threat that human activity has posed and continues to pose to shark populations globally, it is important to recognize that, in many ways, Canada has fallen far behind many other countries in our work to protect our precious shark species.
One important example of Canada’s lack of leadership on protections for sharks, is our continued rejection of a ‘fins-attached’ policy in our waters. For those who do not know, the ‘fins-attached’ policy is a policy that requires fishers who catch sharks at sea to keep the fins attached until they bring the shark back to land. Although not new, the policy has gained significant momentum within countries and international organizations in recent years.