New Zealand Shark Alliance facts for kids
The New Zealand Shark Alliance is a special group of organizations working together. They are called non-governmental organizations, or NGOs for short. Their main goal is to protect sharks in New Zealand waters. They want to stop a harmful practice called shark finning.
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What is the New Zealand Shark Alliance?
The New Zealand Shark Alliance is like a team of many different groups. These groups care about the ocean and its creatures. They joined forces in 2012. Their big idea is to make sure sharks are safe in New Zealand's waters. They also want New Zealand's shark laws to be as good as those in other countries.
Who Belongs to the Alliance?
Many well-known groups are part of this alliance. Some of them include the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Also, the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand is a member. Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society are also part of the team. Other groups like Shark Fin-Free Auckland and Our Seas Our Future help too. Even Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium is involved.
Why Protect Sharks?
Sharks are very important for the ocean's health. They help keep the ocean balanced. The Alliance believes that if people catch sharks, it should be done in a smart way. This means fishing should be sustainable. Sustainable fishing means catching only what the ocean can replace. This way, there will always be enough sharks for the future.
How the Alliance Helps Sharks
The New Zealand Shark Alliance wants to stop shark finning. Shark finning is when fishermen catch a shark, cut off its fins, and then throw the shark's body back into the ocean. This is very wasteful. The shark often dies slowly after being thrown back.
The Alliance wants a rule that says all sharks caught must be brought to shore complete. This means the shark must still have all its fins attached. This rule helps stop the wasteful practice of only taking fins. It also makes sure that if a shark is caught, its whole body is used. This approach is recommended by experts around the world.
External links
- New Zealand Shark Alliance official website: http://www.nzsharkalliance.org.nz/
