Petition

Stop the Killing of Endangered Sharks in Costa Rica

124,591 signatures. Let’s get to 150K

Costa Rica is home to dozens of shark species, many of which are in serious danger of being overfished to extinction.

Last year, former President Carlos Alvarado signed a decree that gutted vital protections, leaving endangered sharks vulnerable to extinction. The former President removed the ability of the Ministry of Environment to protect sharks and shifted management responsibilities to the Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (INCOPESCA). This agency lacks the capacity to effectively monitor population trends and stands to benefit from their commercialization.

Costa Rica’s government is authorizing the overexploitation of sharks as commercial species · Shawn Heinrichs
Dozens of longline fishing vessels primarily target sharks in Costa Rica · Shawn Heinrichs
The Costa Rican government has essentially legalized the overfishing of sharks—even those species officially protected by international agreements.

One of the most at-risk species is the critically endangered hammerhead shark, a national symbol of Costa Rica’s marine conservation efforts. Scientific research has shown that hammerheads could become extinct within the next 20 years if no action is taken. 

As top predators, sharks provide stability to marine ecosystems · Andy Mann
Nearly half of the 40+ shark species in Costa Rica are in serious danger of extinction · Andy Mann
Despite its image as a leader in ocean conservation, Costa Rica is failing to protect endangered sharks · Andy Mann
Add your name below to call on the Costa Rican government to prohibit the capture and trade of sharks threatened with extinction.
Supporters
Renee H

this isnt right needs to stop

1 year ago
Joan C B

Save the sharks. If they die , we die

1 year ago
Suzanne F

i care

1 year ago
Kevin I

we need to protect those that can’t protect themselves.

1 year ago
Marion V

without sharks the balance in our ocean will be disturbed. without healthy marine life our ocean will be threatened and so will our resources!

1 year ago
Werner K

Und mit was treibt ihr Handel wenn der Hai ausstirbt ? Dann verkauft ihr eure Kinder.

1 year ago
Catalina B

I care

1 year ago
James P

i want to protect the endangered speci

1 year ago
Joy S

sharks are good. baby shark do do do do do do no kill baby shark pls stop pls stop pls stop.

1 year ago
charlie p

i want go have grandchildren in this world know that the world isnt evil

1 year ago
Susan W

sharks are very important in the seas and oceans!

1 year ago
Sheila R

without the sharks we all die

1 year ago
Julie K

we as a people of this planet have to stop eliminating species now. They are not ours to do with as we please. These sharks are in danger of becoming…

1 year ago
Andrea T

sharks are a vital part of marine life ,being a top predator. They are endangered world wide due to over fishing, by catch and net entanglement aswel…

1 year ago
Lori R

they have as much right to live as anyone. They are important to a balanced ecosystem.

1 year ago
Jean-François B

Sharks my brothers

1 year ago
Alison V

we must!!

1 year ago
April A

I care about Earth living a longer, and its Earthlings. Marine life is vital to keeping our ecosystems balanced and healthy.

1 year ago
Juliet W

sharks are needed for humans to live, if there are no sharks there is no ocean snd if there is no ocean there is no world to live on

1 year ago
Will h

The Hammerhead is an awesome creature.

1 year ago
PhaatLadyStephens S

killing without ness3sity goes against the Laws of nature. us humans need to get that.

1 year ago
abigail m

ecosystem reservation and population

1 year ago
Jorge B

I'm from latin america and i know that there lies a lot of wildlife species and vegetation and i think sharks should be protected, not hunted

1 year ago
Pitia F

Costa Rica has such an amazing ecosystem and every organism is an important part.

1 year ago
Nina P

we dont NEED to kill the sharks

1 year ago
Add your name
Share this campaign

10 free trees if you sign up today

Save the planet every month with our membership

Grow your own forests and reefs

Remove plastic and carbon pollution

See your impact in a personal dashboard

Invite friends to plant with you

100% of funds go to projects