Campaign – Wins for Fins

What Problem Are We Trying to Solve?

Ocean advocates are continuously confronted by a multitude of challenges to the health and future of the ocean.  This often is not balanced by the positive news and victories won to protect our blue planet. Balance of challenges with solutions and wins can prevent apathy and inaction. A prime example are the challenges and victories surrounding shark protection. As the ocean’s apex predator, the shark is a critical link in the health of the web of life in the oceans.

International, national and regional laws and policy are a global patchwork. Where have actions been taken to curb or stop the practice of shark finning?  A resource center that contains all the current protections that are afforded to sharks is needed to keep up to date on this dynamic struggle to protect the “lions” of ocean.

How are we solving this problem?

The purpose of Wins for Fins is to present and inspire the public with the many successes that have been won in an effort to stop unsustainable shark finning. Wins for Fins is an online global map created to illustrate geographically victories that have been won. The Wins for Fins google map reveals the momentum that the ocean conservation community has gained and it gives us hope. It also serves as a resource center where we can find accumulated data about anti shark finning policy wins.

Posting International and National campaigns will provide the public and supporting communities with an inspiring visual guide which stands witness to the great advances we have made in our efforts to stop shark finning around the world. Details provide specific information about private companies as well as local, national and international bodies that have successfully implemented bans and protective measures.

Describe the actual campaign

We integrated a world-view Google Map into our website. A pin representing each international, national and local shark protection law, policy and / or reserve has been included in the map. A sidebar legend on the map demonstrates the meaning of different pin types.  International, National and Local pins are color coded and private sector decisions, international accords and others are shown with distinct graphics.

Each pin represents a specific anti-finning law or policy currently in place. The pin indicates the primary geographical location affected and when clicked reveals additional information including a summary of the policy, a photograph representing the policy and a hyperlink where the reader can find additional information.