Greenpeace has released a heartfelt animated film to highlight a rise in the over-fishing of sharks by EU fishing fleets.
‘The Lonely Shark’ campaign embodies the findings of Greenpeace’s recent report ‘Hooked on Sharks’ that found that shark populations have decreased by 70% in the last 50 years.
“While the EU and its members claim to be champions of ocean protection, their fishing fleets are deliberately fishing in baby shark breeding grounds in the North Atlantic using hugely destructive fishing techniques,” Greenpeace’s Protect the Oceans campaigner Will McCallum said.
“Fishing nations like Spain and Portugal are actively working to undermine marine protection measures for the area. It’s shocking hypocrisy, which is causing environmental harm on a vast scale.”
Airing on Shark Awareness Day yesterday and accompanied by a Thom Yorke cover of ‘Bloom’, the 90-second spot sees two sharks enjoy their daily swim before one of them becomes tragically caught up in a fishing hook.
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According to the international campaign network, global demand for shark products has continued to grow, with the global industry now worth around £845 million annually. It has been reported that shark can also be found in products like pet food and make up.
On an average fishing day in the North Atlantic, over 1,200kms of fishing line and an estimated 15,000-28,000 hooks, sit in the water.
“This beautiful animated film brings the horrors of industrial fishing home,” Greenpeace’s Protect the Oceans campaign head of communications and engagement, Aakash Naik, said.
“This is happening every day on the high seas, and sharks are suffering. In the last 50 years, shark populations globally have plummeted by 70%. Something has to be done. We need a strong Global Ocean Treaty this year, to help sharks and all other marine life recover from centuries of human exploitation.”
The campaign was created by Spindle Studio, in partnership with Red Knuckles.
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