Your response needed by tomorrow

The Shark Conservation Act should help sharks by closing loopholes that risk undetected shark finning and killing. Ask the National Marine Fisheries Service to close the shark finning loophole TODAY. We need your signature by July 30 to meet their comment deadline! Dear Friend of Wildlife, The wasteful and cruel act of cutting off a shark's fin and dumping the body back into the sea – known as shark finning – is pushing many shark species to the brink of extinction. Thankfully, the Shark Conservation Act prohibits shark finning in U.S. waters. But an exception to this law for one shark species, the smooth dogfish, allows the fins of some these sharks to be removed at sea. This could result in undetected finning of these sharks and other sharks that look very similar. Leaving the loophole intact can have serious consequences for sharks living off our coast. Tell the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) that the Shark Conservation Act needs to do what it was meant to do: protect all sharks. Speak up by July 30 and we'll hand deliver your comments before the NMFS's public comment period closes on July 31. Allowing this exception seriously undermines U.S. efforts to promote best practices for shark conservation internationally. This seemingly minor issue could have a magnified and damaging effect on all shark species in all oceans across the globe. Like whales and dolphins, sharks are slow-growing and bear small numbers of young. Some studies suggest their shrinking numbers, driven by human fishing, could have serious negative repercussions for many marine ecosystems. Protecting sharks is an essential aspect to saving our oceans. NMFS is asking the public for input. Your voice can make a difference – but only if you speak up by July 30. The Shark Conservation Act promises protection to sharks. Right now, it doesn't deliver on that promise. Tell NMFS to close the loophole and protect ALL sharks. Thank you for all that you do to protect wildlife, on land, in the air, and in the sea. Sincerely, Liz Bennett Vice President, Species Conservation Wildlife Conservation Society

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

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