News
Sea Shepherd Australia applauds City Beach for acknowledging the importance of sharks
Friday, 27 Feb, 2015
Tiger Shark. (source Wikipedia)City Beach is an Australian fashion, surf, skate and street chain store. Founded in 1985, City Beach has grown to over 60 store locations across Australia and an online store.
City Beach hosts over 200 brands, one of them being Kustom, which also includes the new Kustom Sea Shepherd range as can be seen here. However it was brought to Sea Shepherds attention that City Beach were selling genuine Mako and Tiger Shark teeth at their stores across Australia and online. Both species are listed on the Red List for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Sea Shepherd was very concerned that the teeth of vulnerable and near threatened shark species were being sold at the same outlets our clothing and shoes are being sold. As a result, Jeff Hansen Managing Director of Sea Shepherd Australia wrote a letter to City Beach outlining our concerns and highlighting the importance of sharks.
“When the world is moving towards shark conservation, the sale of shark products is sending a message that City Beach agrees with the killing of sharks for their parts. “ Mr. Hansen said in his letter.
Mako Shark. Photo: Paul SpielvogelWell, the good news is that City Beach responded to Sea Shepherds letter and has acted!
City Beach was appreciative of our letter outlining our concerns and were pleased to inform Sea Shepherd that City Beach are discontinuing any future purchases of mako or tiger shark teeth in the future from their supplier. On average, 100 million sharks are being killed annually, the majority for their characteristics such as fins, jaws and teeth. Our oceans (humanities life support) are suffering as a result, with increases in algal blooms, explosive jellyfish numbers, sick coral reefs, dead zones and a reduction in healthy marine life.
Sea Shepherd Australia would like to congratulate City Beach for acknowledging the import role sharks play in the health of our oceans.
After all, our children need healthy oceans, and healthy oceans need sharks.
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