E.U. Citizens' Initiative to Protect Sharks: Final Count.

For the past two years, the Stop Finning - EU Organization has been collection signatures of support for the EU Citizens' Initiative to strengthen the EU's shark Finning laws.  The support period has now closed and here are now the final results.

As most of you know, in my last update of the 13th. January I stated that only seven countries had reached their quota target and only 542000 out of the 1,000000 signatures have been collected. 

I am glad to report that in the last two weeks, there has been a huge response and the final results read as follows:

17 countries have reached their quota: Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Malta, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Czechia, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain.
A total of 1,202,122 signatures collected.

 Austria 229.63%

Belgium 119.52% 

Bulgaria 15.78% 

Croatia 117.26% 

Cyprus 20.15% 

Czechia 106.67% 

Denmark 113.83% 

Estonia 34.58% 

Finland 114.05% 

France 592.08%

Germany 685.31%

Greece 112.61% 

Hungary 152.09%

Ireland 112.67% 

Italy 128.94% 

Latvia 16.78% 

Lithuania 11.95% 

Luxembourg 104.97% 

Malta 113.32%

Netherlands 124.33% 

Poland 21.71% 

Portugal 149.17%

Romania 15.55% 

Slovakia 82.05% 

Slovenia 57.51% 

Spain 151.04%

Sweden 64.75% 

I want to thank each and everyone that signed up, for their support and look forward to next step... the presentation of this initiative to the EU. 

My thanks also goes to Nils Kluger and Alexander Hendrik Cornelissen who initiated this campaign.

Thank you.

Update on the E.U. Citizens' Initiative to Protect Sharks.

In January of 2020, The Stop Finning - EU Organization initiated the EU Citizens' Initiative to strengthen the EU's shark Finning laws. 

Although the removal of fins on board of EU vessels and in EU waters is prohibited and sharks must be landed with their fins naturally attached, the EU is among the biggest exporters of fins and a major transit hub for the global fin trade. EU is a major player in the exploitation of sharks and as inspections at sea are scarce fins are still illegally retained, transhipped, or landed in EU. 

The aim is to end the trade of fins in the EU including the import, export and transit of fins other than if naturally attached to the animal’s body. As finning prevents effective shark conservation measures, the organization is requesting to extend REGULATION (EU) No 605/2013 also to the trade of fins and therefore ask the commission to develop a new regulation, extending “fins naturally attached” to all trading of sharks and rays in the EU. 

To be successful, the EU Citizens' Initiative needs reach the following targets:

i) To collect a total of One Million signatures of support from EU member states.
ii) At least Seven (7) countries must reach a threshold of signatures equal to 1% of its population. 

The seven country target has been reached but so far, only 542000 out of the 1,000000 signatures have been collected and the closing date in the end of this month.

 
Whilst Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Malta, Portugal and Spain have reached and passed their threshold, these 20 other nations are still below the target.

Belgium 70.76% 

Bulgaria 10.32% 

Croatia 54.64% 

Cyprus 13.16% 

Czechia 49.46% 

Denmark 52.01% 

Estonia 26.79% 

Finland 46.76% 

Greece 52.77% 

Ireland 72.7% 

Italy 87.02% 

Latvia 7.01% 

Lithuania 8% 

Luxembourg 43.92% 

Netherlands 83.6% 

Poland 13.02% 

Romania 11.61% 

Slovakia 50.78% 

Slovenia 47.27% 

Sweden 39.83% 

 We are in the final stretch so please do your best to spread the word and get your friends to support this great cause.

SHARKS NEED YOU NOW!

Thank you.

Malta reaches threshold for EU Citizen's Initiative.

THANK YOU MALTA.

On behalf of Sharkman's World, I want to say a big thanks to everyone who has supported and signed our Stopfinning EU Citizen's Initiative. With a targeted threshold of 4506 signatures, Malta has now obtained a total of 4561 signatures. We are the fourth EU nation to reach our goal. France, Portugal and Germany are the other 3 countries that have reached their quota. Thank You.

For those that have not yet signed, you still have the chance to do so. The more names the better our voices will be heard. If you already signed, pass this on to your European friends so that we can help other countries to reach their target.

Sharks need us to protect them👍🦈

https://www.stop-finning-eu.org/

European Citizens Must Unite To Stop Finning!

 Back in 2007 a group of NGOs from all over Europe got together under the banner of The Shark Alliance and started talks with the EU fisheries commission to close all the loopholes in the 2003 shark finning ban regulations. That year, The Shark Alliance presented over 20,000 signatures to the EU Commission asking for better regulations. 

In 2008, we continued to campaign for better Shark regulations and a total stop to shark finning. We also presented over 100,000 signatures to the EU commission.

In 2009 the EU Fisheries Commissioner released the "Plan of Action for Sharks". This was the first sign that the EU was listening to what the people wanted.

In 2010, the proposal for the ending of all finning at sea was made and this was endorsed by the Council of Ministers.

In 2011, Shark Alliance members meet and proposed the "Fins Naturally Attached - With No Exceptions" campaign.

In Spring of 2012 Parliament’s Environment Committee endorsed the proposal but Fisheries committee had some opposition. The debates were lengthy but finally, in November 2012, the European Parliament voted 566 to 47 in favour of ensuring that all sharks are landed fins naturally attached without exception. The amendments we supported were passed and those we opposed were soundly defeated. The road to victory was a hard one, but at the end, after 6 long years, we did it!

As it stands now, since 2012, the so-called “Fins Naturally Attached” regulation of the European Union prohibits without exception the storage, transhipment and landing of all shark fins in EU waters and on all EU ships. The fins must remain naturally attached to the carcass when the ship is unloaded in port. The fins can then be separated from the animal and exported to Asia.

It is now time to take further action. As of 2012, EU citizens have had the right to apply directly to the European Commission.  The Stop Finning EU Organization has initiated the European Citizens’ Initiative in order to propose a concrete legislative amendment, a total ban on the shark finning trade! To do this, your support is needed. If you are a European citizen, click here and vote now. 

SHARKS NEED YOUR SUPPORT!