100 million sharks killed every year
“This is nothing short of ecocide. And it must stop.” – Lewis Pugh
On 26 May, Lewis officially completed The Shark Swim, a 58-mile swim around the island of Martha’s Vineyard to change the story on sharks.
The swim was gruelling: the weather was ferocious, and over 12 days Lewis and the team faced physically demanding conditions, including storms bringing cold (8°C) waters, strong currents, and intense headwinds.
Lewis completed his circumnavigation of the island by swimming on both tide cycles, often in darkness or during twilight – never a comfortable proposition when you’re swimming in shark territory!
Our ongoing Shark Campaign will continue to highlight how sharks, so essential for healthy oceans, continue to be threatened, with 275,000 killed each and every day.
In case you missed them, here are some of the key media stories from The Shark Swim:
Where to Start
Protecting our oceans starts with creating more Marine Protected Areas. Less than 3% of our oceans are fully protected, and there are just 4.5 years left to reach our #30×30 goal of protecting 30% of oceans by 2030.
It is also imperative that we protect the apex predators that help maintain the balance of ocean ecosystems. This includes ensuring that the most endangered species like whale sharks are fully protected under CITES.
Please consider making a donation to support our work. This will support our campaign to promote the protection of sharks around the world.
And to show your love of sharks, you can buy one of our limited edition ‘Sharks Bring Life’ t-shirts here.
