At the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species in Manila this week, a whopping 113 nations have signed an agreement to protect seven Shark species. The new treaty will prohibit the deliberate hunting, fishing, or killing of Great Whites, Basking Sharks, Whale Sharks, Porbeagle Sharks, Longfin Makos, Shortfin Makos, and the Spiny Dogfish. Does this sound a bit too good to be true? Clearly. Australia proves it. They immediately objected to the protection of Porbeagles and Makos, and said that they will not protect these species in these waters. Ex-Midnight Oil frontman and current Australian Environment
Minster said

"Australia will move to make a law removing those species from protections. Garrett argued that sharks in Australian waters are faring better than those in other parts of the world and protecting those species will hurt recreational fisheries."

[mongabay]

I guess with all the time he frees up by not protecting Sharks he can spend more time killing Australians with faulty solar panels.

This is what Sharks need protecting from.

As if to prove that the UN Shark action is necessary, the day after the agreement was made in Manila, the finned Whale Shark pictured above was found at a beach nearby. It was alive at the time of the picture, but died hours later of its wounds. The signed agreement would save the endangered Whale Shark, but there is no agreement yet or plan on how this agreement is to be policed. Paul Watson, anyone?

--Sharky