Since 2004, an ongoing campaign in various countries to oppose this killing practice

STOP FINNING

Millions and millions of sharks die every year. Their population numbers have been in decline for decades – with far-reaching consequences. A good ¼ of all species are classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List, and many are already extinct.

There are many reasons for this. Starting with the by-catch problem, environmental pollution, or the increasingly obvious effects of climate change. The main reason, however, is still directed fishing. But it's not the whole animal that is on the catch list - only their precious fins. To save space on the ships, the fins are cut off and the mutilated sharks, which are often still alive, are thrown back into the sea. The shark species from which the removed fins come, can not be determined. As soon as the entire animal has to be transported, this difficulty disappears.

The fins are then traded on from their fishing grounds, mainly to be marketed as a delicacy in shark fin soup or as a panacea in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Sharkproject has been campaigning against this killing practice and trading shark fins in various countries since 2004.

Brief overview of the last few years:

2002 Maldives campaign
2007 Underwater Monuments, e.g., Egypt
2011 Campaign Costa Rica — film shooting
2011 Alliance against Finning, Costa Rica
2012 Costa Rica, ad & campaign with local partner
2015 Costa Rica, renewed ads & campaign with local partner
2019/2020 Stop Finning Europe campaign, which then became the EU Citizens' Initiative.

2005 Original TV spot with out-of-date figures ...
2006 Award: Advertising Yearbook - Best National TV Spot of the Year/Young&Rubicam Germany, Frankfurt am Main

2006 First idea for the Stop Finning campaign by Young & Rubicam Germany

The first underwater monument against the destruction of the seas was installed in Egypt on 19 October 2007.

After only 9 months of preparation, the underwater monument against the destruction of the seas was installed off Hurghada at a depth of 11.5 m on Friday, 19 October 2007, 2.30 pm.

Motif for an advertising campaign in various German newspapers

The Shark Awards "Shark Guardian" & "Shark Enemy" emerged from the StopFinning campaign. They were awarded for the first time in 2004.

Alle Shark Awards at a glance

2010 Stop-Finning.org Campaign Page

2012 Advertisement in one of the largest daily newspapers in Costa Rica

2015 Advertisement in one of the biggest daily newspapers in Costa Rica: Shark Enemy, 2016

Flyer for the boot Duesseldorf 2019 trade fair, launch of the EU citizens' initiative Stop Finning — Stop the Trade

2020 Exhibition banner – Boot/Düsseldorf – for the campaign launch and later main motif of the EU citizens' initiative Stop Finning – Stop the Trade

Redesign of the campaign motif from 2006.

2020 Exhibition stand – Boot/Düsseldorf

Support the EU Citizens' Initiative with website, domain, branding, flyer design, brochure and initial campaign material (print) until the end of the vote count for the EU Citizens' Initiative January 2022.