The term elasmobranch refers to the sharks, rays and skates - cartilaginous fishes. These animals have a skeleton made of cartilage, rather than bone. According to the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), elasmobranch comes from elasmos (Greek for "metal plate") and branchus (Latin for "gill").
1. Raise Awareness on how vital sharks are to the health of the Ocean :
* Sharks have survived
for 400 million years, but may be gone within 10 years.
* How serious a threat is Shark finning.
* How vital Sharks are to the health of the oceans.
* Where sharks are eliminated, the marine ecosystem loses its balance.
* Sharks are not vicious man-eaters.
* Humans are a threat to sharks.
2. Outreach programs & to Promote Sustainable fisheries:
* Outreach programmes and education packs to the fishermen’s associations, the relevant Ministries and the enforcement agencies in the form of workshops, discussion groups and seminars.
* Outreach programmes to the public, such as film screenings, competitions and seminars, schools, aquariums, museums,
zoos and universities.
* Collect data on the sharks that are landed and species stock assessment.
* Convince the Relevant Ministries and Enforcement Department to curb Shark fin exports.
