We'd Like You To Support This Project..... No Pressure

Have you recently made a donation to a conservation project or charity? If so, you've probably noticed that your email is now chock-a-block with demands for money from every single conservation organisation on the planet. Sign up to the World Rescue Fund for the conservation of poodles and before you know it you are being asked to save the whales, save the donkeys, save the pandas, the rain forests, the badgers, the flatulent gibbons of Patagonia and Donald Trump's hair.

All of which of course are noble and valid causes, with exception of the flatulent gibbons. We just made that up.

Anyway. Farting monkeys aside. We all know that even the most committed of conservationists can become a bit jaded by the endless stream of charities , projects and societies, making ever more hysterical pitches for cash.

Which is why we are a little reluctant to bring to your attention another project that needs a little of your hard earned cash. The trouble is that this particular project is, we feel, one of the most important of its kind and it really does need your help.

Back in 2006, filmmaker Rob Stewart brought the horrific problem of shark finning to a global audience in his ground breaking documentary Sharkwater.

Teaming up with Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Organisation, Rob exposed the horror, greed and criminality at the heart of the trade in shark fins and in the process became involved in sea battles with shark poachers, gun boat chases, Mafia gangs. Espionage and attempted murder charges.

The documentary went on to win twenty three international film awards and brought the plight of sharks into the cinemas and living rooms of communities around the world. The resulting public outcry led directly to the banning of shark fining throughout much of the world and spawned a movement to protect sharks Now however Rob is trying to raise more funds via kickstarter to gain support for a new film due for release in 2017. Sharkwater Extinction is described as “a quest to find 80 million missing sharks, revealing a multi billion-dollar scandal that implicates us all in the greatest wildlife massacre ever known.”

It is a story of how our fear of sharks and complacency as consumers has let sharks be slaughtered and turned into lipstick, moisturiser, pet food, livestock feed, fertiliser and even fast food sandwiches. With a major focus of the film being the cosmetics industry — people will be shocked to learn they’ve been smearing sharks on their faces!

The film has the backing and support of Sea Shepherd and a great many others but sadly with just a few days left of Rob's Kickstarter campaign, he is still short of the required goal of $150,000

So if you can help, please visit the kickstarter page by clicking here and make a pledge. If you can't help and we understand that not all of us can, please spread the word so that others that "can" might be made aware of the opportunity.

If on the other hand you are more worried about the lack of pungent air in Patagonia or Donkeys and badgers etc. We apologise for taking up your precious time and wish you the best of luck in saving whatever it is you're saving.

Thanks.

Update July 20th 2016 - Thanks to all those who pledged your support, Rob has now surpassed the $150,000. As of 15:45 GMT the total pledged has reached over $173,000.... Excellent effort guys!