We have a cheer today as yet another company joins the ever-growing list of advertisers who are pulling their ads from NBC’s despicable “Shark Hunters” show.  The show idolizes trophy fishermen who compete to reel in the biggest shark for a $10,000 prize. Among the sharks being targeted is the common thresher…an extremely vulnerable species we are working to protect by recently petitioning the US government to list them under the Endangered Species Act. 

The common thresher, as well as other vulnerable species, are particularly harmed by trophy fishing competitions because their large size attracts fishermen who consider the struggle involved in capturing these sharks to be a vital part of the “sport”.

Programs like “Shark Hunters” glamorize shark hunting and killing while overlooking the fact that trophy fishing, commercial fishing and environmental degredation have caused shark populations worldwide to dramatically decrease over the last 50 years and ignore the vital role sharks play in our ocean’s ecosystem.

You can sign the petition to have NBC cancel “Shark Hunters” here and can read more about our work to protect exploited marine species right here.