FIN FREE THAILAND FACT SHEET What is Fin Free Thailand? Fin Free Thailand is a campaign encouraging businesses not to serve shark fin, in order to protect endangered sharks and consumers’ health. Celebrities, activists, divers, hotel and restaurant owners, chefs and students are joining hands to encourage more businesses in Thailand to go ‘Fin Free’. The campaign will inform consumers of the serious health risks and environmental impacts of consuming shark fin; and help promote ‘Fin Free’ businesses to health and eco-conscious consumers. What is Fin Free? Fin Free is a global campaign addressing a very real issue: the mass slaughter of sharks to supply a growing consumer demand for shark fin. We believe that to protect sharks and ensure their continued existence, governments must get involved and institute legislation that bans the sale and trade of shark fin. Fin Free is a grassroots, action-oriented campaign to enable individuals to become Fin Free, and then, through our network of resources and support, respectfully encourage others to become Fin Free as well. Ultimately, Fin Free provides individuals the ability to organize locally, in a structured manner, to rally towards legislation in their communities, states, provinces and countries. Campaign’s goals and objectives sBan the sale and possession of shark fin in cities, provinces/states and countries worldwide. sThrough education, reduce the demand for shark products. sSubstantially increase awareness of issue and risks facing sharks. sThrough the reduction of demand, allow threatened shark populations the chance to recover. Campaign’s parthers The Fin Free Thailand campaign in backed by prominent local and international conservation groups, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Embassy to Thailand, as well as chefs, celebrities, divers, everyday citizens and students.
Interesting facts sUpto 73 mil. sharks are killed each year to meet the demand for shark fin soup. That’s 5 sharks every 2 seconds. sSome population of sharks (bull,dusky and smooth hammerredheads) have experienced 99% population decline since the 1950s. sSharks that are commonly finned: sandbar, bull, hammered, blacktip, porbeagle, mako, thresher, and blue sharks and occassionally white sharks. sFins are sliced off while shark is still alive & up to 98% of the animal is thrown away. sThe dwarf lanternshark is around 6 inches long & can reach up to 40 ft. & weigh up to 36 tonnes sSharks’ skeleton are made of cartilage, an elastic tissue that is much softer than bones. When a shark dies, salt from the ocean water completely dissolves its skeleton, leaving only the sharks teech behind. sEvery once in a while, a female shark can reproduce without any contact from male, an act known as parthenognesis. sSharks keep prey population healthy by consuming the sick & the weak members of their prey populations. By removing the sick, they prevent the spread of disease and prevent outbreaks that could be devastating. sDue to very level of mercury and the neurotoxin BMAA in shark fins, it poses serious health problems, including: neurological disorders, cognitive disfunction, central nervous system damage, infertility & fatal development problems. sThe U.S. Food & Drud Administartion (FDA) & World Health Organization (WHO) have issued warnings on eating shark fins.
How can you support this initiative? MATERIALS MATERIALS Recognitionplague. plague. 1.1.Recognition Bluelists listsprint printmaps. maps. 2.2.Blue Sustainablemenu menuguidence guidence 3.3.Sustainable packs. packs. Consumerinfo infofactsheets. factsheets. 4.4.Consumer Stationary. 5.5.Stationary. T-shirts. 6.6.T-shirts. Wristbands. 7.7.Wristbands. Stickers. 8.8.Stickers. Pins. 9.9.Pins.
ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES Sustainable& &healthy healthy 1.1.Sustainable alternativemenu menulaunch. launch. alternative SustainableChinese Chinesepop-up pop-up 2.2.Sustainable
dinners. dinners. Hotel& &restaurant restaurantFin FinFree Free 3.3.Hotel pressconferences. conferences. press City+coastal coastalschool schooleducation education 4.4.City+
roadshow. roadshow. Digitalart artcompetition. competition. 5.5.Digital Expandedphoto photo& &art art 6.6.Expanded exhibition. exhibition. MULTIMEDIA MULTIMEDIA Infographs. 1.1.Infographs. Info.videos. videos. 2.2.Info. Celebrityvideo videoPSAs. PSAs. 3.3.Celebrity Interactiveweb webengagement engagement 4.4.Interactive tool. tool.
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ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL Facebook+Googleads adspromo. promo. 1.1.Facebook+Google Transport 2.2.Transport STAFF STAFF CampaignCoordinator. Coordinator. 1.1.Campaign
via finfreethai.org
Contact the campaign at info@finfreethai.org