The European Union has officially extended measures to protect threatened porbeagle sharks from fishing.
Noting the depleted conservation status of the species, the EU has recognised that previous levels of protection for this species were insufficient, because they did not apply to all European waters. Under the amended Regulation, fishing for porbeagles is now prohibited in all EU waters, including the Mediterranean Sea, and by EU vessels fishing in international waters.

Scientists and law-makers across the world are prioritising the protection of sharks, but critics say the measures don't work.
The shark that lands on the deck of the Coral Princess boat is 6.5ft of thrashing grey muscle and teeth, and the crew can't wait to get their hands on him.
They slip a plastic breathing tube through rows of sharp, serrated teeth to pump water over its gills, and get to work: measuring, taking blood and tissue samples, and drilling a small hole in its dorsal fin to attach a satellite transmitter. The device looks a bit like a bath toy.

LABOR is considering proposals to establish the world's largest marine protected area with 972,000 square kilometres of the Coral Sea to be given differing levels of environmental cover.
The Age believes the draft proposal for the tropical waters between the Great Barrier Reef and the edge of Australian territory will place about half the total region in ''no take'' reserves, stopping fishing.

When Lee Johnson, owner of Perth Scuba in Western Australia, first read the AWARE Shark Conservation Study Guide he was horrified by the number of sharks killed every year. "The figures were very sobering. It makes you want to act to protect them, NOW!"
Lee has always had a fascination with sharks. Now Lee teaches AWARE Shark Conservation to inform his divers of major ocean protection issues and tell them how they can act locally and internationally to protect sharks.

Back in August this year, the Aussie Fundraiser team, an initiative of Alan Nash and Tommy Soderstrom, owners of El Galleon Dive Resort and Asia Divers, Philippines, were given a royal send-off on their fundraising journey around Australia.
Since then they've been busy raising funds for Project AWARE and the Springboard Foundation as well as raising awareness about aquatic pollution and the appalling conditions some children face in the Philippines. From dive gear auctions, raffles, or BBQ, Alan and Tommy are never short of ide

Project AWARE's Big Shark Shout Out Week has just wrapped up and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the noise you've made for sharks. October gave way to an incredible show of support from divers around the world as they shouted out loud that sharks need urgent protection.
Project AWARE, as a steering group member of the Shark Alliance, co-ordinated Big Shark Shout Out activities in support of European Shark Week not only in Europe, but globally, gaining huge support from the diving community.

Who knew? Much has been written about the Great Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean, where a Texas-size swill of plastic bags, bottles, wrappers and other debris floats. Now, scientists are finding that home washing machines seem to be a major source of "microplastic" ocean pollution.
Bits of polyester and acrylic smaller than the head of a pin are likely rinsing off garments during the wash cycle and ending up on shorelines, according to a study published this month in the American Chemical Society's Environmental Science & Technology.

Toronto city council has voted to ban the sale of shark fin in the city. The ban, suggested by councillors John Parker, Glenn De Baeremaeker and Kristyn Wong-Tam, will outlaw the possession, sale, trade and distribution of shark fins or their derivative products.
The proposal passed easily - by a vote of 38 to 4.
Shark fins are used in a soup that is often served at traditional Chinese weddings.

SYDNEY, Australia - "This year may be remembered as the 'summer of the shark hunt'," stated Christopher Neff, University of Sydney doctoral research student studying the politics of shark attacks.
Neff added, "Shark bites are terrible events and for a third time this year Western Australia has endured another tragedy. But there is no evidence that shark hunts reduce the risk to swimmers," stated Neff.
The Western Australian Government's authorized shark hunt this past weekend represents the fifth reported shark hunt in 2011.

Colombian environmental authorities have reported a huge shark massacre in the Malpelo wildlife sanctuary in Colombia's Pacific waters, where as many as 2,000 hammerhead, Galápagos and silky sharks may have been slaughtered for their fins.
Sandra Bessudo, the Colombian president's top adviser on environmental issues, said a team of divers who were studying sharks in the region reported the mass killing in the waters surrounding the rock-island known as Malpelo, some 500 kilometres from the mainland.