Project AWARE Update February 2013

CITES4SHARKS Here We Come!

In a matter of days, officials from countries around the world will have a historic opportunity to protect a record number of sharks and rays – including oceanic whitetip sharks, hammerheads and manta rays. Project AWARE will be on the ground during the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES, held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 3 – 14 March. We’ll represent the voice of divers worldwide and ensure the world’s most vulnerable sharks and rays have a voice too.






More than 150,000 of your have stood by sharks on the CITES campaign trail since 2010 – signing petitions, making donations and rallying local communities. Now is the time to amplify our global call. Sharks can’t afford to wait for another shot at this.

   Passionate shark lovers are sending a loud message to CITES leaders - “Vote ‘Yes’ for sharks and rays!”. You can help spread the word. Download the “Extinction is NOT an Option” sign, take a picture and post it to our Facebook wall of support.

This week, we asked Ania Budziak, Associate Director of Science and Policy and Project AWARE staffer on the front lines of our program work, to answer some top CITES-related questions. She’ll be on the ground pushing for much needed protections for sharks and rays this March