Overfishing is killing the ocean. Outside of climate change, overfishing is the main contributor to the rapid decline of ocean health which is causing human catastrophe through loss of jobs, food security, profits, habitat and ecosystem balance. Of the earth’s nearly 8 billion people, over 1 billion depend on seafood as their primary food source and the industry provides over 780 million jobs worldwide. Without immediate action, the precipitous decline of this resource will result in accelerated environmental degradation, international conflict, and hunger.
Confronting the issue through shark and ray conservation is a catalytic solution to this global problem. Sharks and rays are keystone species that play an essential role in our oceans and coastal communities. As apex predators, sharks and rays stabilize food webs and act as a barometer for ocean health. Fostering healthy shark and ray populations is essential to the creation of healthier ecosystems which, in turn, have greater resilience to climate change. On a global scale, the preservation of our sharks will have a ripple effect on broader conservation issues: protecting our ocean’s health, the world’s food security, and the economic stability of hundreds of millions of people.
The Shark Conservation Fund is a collaboration of philanthropists dedicated to restoring ocean health through sweeping shark and ray conservation. Our goal is to help maintain the vibrancy of the world’s oceans by halting the overexploitation of sharks and rays and to prevent extinctions through strategic, collaborative, and catalytic grantmaking. In doing so, we work to protect the world’s marine resources by promoting sustainable policies and robust and enforceable trade regulations.
