We’re so pleased to announce that Ocean Youth Sunshine Coast Ambassador Jess De-Acetis was recently selected as a winner for the 2019 Bow Seat Marine Debris Creative Advocacy Competition. This year, the program received over 250 entries from young people between the ages of 11-18, all over the world, and 15 winners were selected.
This is very well deserved recognition. Jess is an avid young eco-warrioress having had a passion for the environment and wildlife ever since she can remember. And she’s definitely not one to sit down and do nothing when she sees a challenge or issue facing our oceans or marine life.
Jess has founded a new campaign dedicated to the protection of sharks. Within the last 2-3 months, she has contacted OVER 40 companies marketing products containing squalene and shark cartilage. By doing this, she’s expanding her knowledge regarding this industry and is also getting an idea as to whether or not these organisations are investing in sustainable practices.
Out of all the responses so far Jess has found that Spiny Dogfish (Squalus acanthias) and Blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) are the most common species used within this industry. In her investigations Jess contacted the Pelican’s Nest Cafe because she noticed they sell flake (shark meat) on their menu. All of this work has led to Jess creating a petition to help encourage this diner to take shark off the menu.
Help Jess get shark off the menu by signing and sharing her petition: http://chng.it/6y6ZwZzX
