Boating supplies retailer West Marine joins a long list of corporations including AON, Astoria Bank, Budweiser, BASF, Foley Caterpillar, Goslings Rum, Lexus, Merrill Lynch, Toyota and Royal Bank of Canada that have pulled out of shark tournament sponsorship at Blue Planet Society’s request.
The statement issued by West Marine to Blue Planet Society today reads:
“West Marine is a strong supporter of sustainability practices that conserve marine resources. We work with a wide range of associations, industry partners and events to promote recreational fishing and outdoor adventure, and many of our associates serve in leadership positions for environmental causes. We recently were a one-time sponsor for a non-catch-and-release shark fishing tournament. We will not renew that sponsorship, nor will we sponsor future shark fishing tournaments. We remain committed to being a leader in promoting safe boating and reducing our impact on the environment”.
Blue Planet Society thanks West Marine for making the right decision for threatened shark species and the health of the ocean.
We are now calling on Smuttynose Brewing Co. to follow West Marine’s example and end their support of the killing of threatened shark species for sport.
You can help our campaign to #EndSharkTournaments by signing our petition here https://www.change.org/p/noaa-fisheries-end-shark-tournaments and by purchasing #EndSharkTournaments campaign merchandise here https://blueplanetsociety.teemill.com/
