The 2011 Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Coming to Punta Gorda, FL May 13th - 15th, 2011

The 2011 Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge Tournament & Festival

After its history-making debut in 2010, the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge Tournament and Festival is back and bigger than ever. By combining the high-stakes allure of competitive, big-game sport fishing with cutting-edge science, practical conservation principles and informative entertainment, this trend-setting event is pioneering its way as an industry leader and model for the Next Generation of Shark-Release Tournaments.

According to USC Creators and Directors, Sean Paxton, Brooks Paxton II and Capt. Robert Moore, “We were blown away watching how our teams stepped up to the challenge last year, and how well they did so many things that had never been done before in a professional tournament setting. The bottom line is great anglers make great tournaments and we can’t wait to see it unfold this time around. The level of participation and competition is heating up, big time.”

Teams in 2011 will have the option of entering a two-day eliminative competition with either 2 or 3 anglers and will be competing for $15,000 in cash and prizes. A dozen shark species are eligible for points, but finding and catching them aren’t the only challenges teams will face. To qualify, eligible sharks must meet a minimum total length of five feet. The animals will be measured in the water using a device, custom-designed and provided by the USC, before they are conventionally research tagged by the team and released back to the wild. In some cases, candidate specimens may be handed off to a research team to be outfitted with a satellite tracking tag.

Robert Hueter, Ph.D., director of Mote Marine Laboratory's Center for Shark Research and his staff are the USC’s chief science and research partner, and will oversee those aspects of the tournament, including all tagging operations. Plans call to outfit a number of sharks with satellite-linked transmitters that will track their movements after release. Hammerhead and bull sharks will be the focus of the satellite tagging efforts, but other species, such as tigers may be tagged as well. These tags are designed to transmit location and other valuable information about the shark's travels. Once the satellite tags are deployed, the public will be able to follow these sharks' travels on the internet.


"This format provides a breakthrough in collaborative research involving the marine science and recreational fishing communities," Hueter said. "The fishermen deserve great credit for embracing this new approach.”

An Observer, professionally trained and certified by USC Staff and the Mote Center for Shark Research, will accompany all teams throughout the competition. Accepted Observer applicants must successfully complete a mandatory course in: shark species identification, proper tag and release procedures and tournament rules.

Other USC protocols mandate the use of heavy conventional tackle to reduce the time between hook-up and release of all animals and inline, non-stainless steel circle hooks to avoid the internal hooking of sharks.”

While competition heats up on the Gulf of Mexico, there will be plenty of action and lots to do on shore at the tournament and festival host location in Punta Gorda. Laishley Crab House at Laishley Park has teamed up with the USC to provide an exciting and entertaining festival for the entire family that will take place at the venue’s picturesque waterfront location all day Saturday and Sunday.

Event organizers are especially pleased to announce that world-renowned marine artist, angler and tournament partner, Guy Harvey, will be making a personal appearance during the weekend to meet with fans and to promote the tournament’s shared mission.

Harvey, a longtime marine conservationist and founder of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, said the tournament will increase global awareness of the important role that sharks play in the world's oceans and our ecosystem.

"The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge Tournament and Festival will be a uniquely exciting event for participants, spectators and everyone who cares about the future of our oceans," he said.

The Ultimate Shark Challenge festival will also feature competition highlights broadcast to digital displays on site, allowing fans to cheer on their favorite teams all the way to the end. Event sponsors will be on hand to conduct product demonstrations and sales, along with a wide variety of merchant vendors, unique attractions like Mote’s Mobile Aquarium, entertaining and educational shark-centric exhibits, interactive demonstrations, and of course, lots of delicious food and cold beverages.

Tournament and Festival Info:

- Website: www.UltimateSharkChallenge.com

- When: May 13 – 15, 2011
- Where: Laishley Crab House at Laishley Park, Punta Gorda, Fla.

- Team Entry: $950

- Festival Admission: Free to the Public

- Sponsor Opportunities: Contact: Directors@UltimateSharkChallenge.com

941-416-1788, 941-416-5073, 941-628-2650

- Festival Vendor Inquiries: Contact: Directors@UltimateSharkChallenge.com

Media Contacts
Tournament & Festival: Directors@UltimateSharkChallenge.com
Mote Marine Laboratory: Hayley Rutger, 941-374-0081, hrutger@mote.org
Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation: 1-800-288-1227, info@guyharveyoceanfoundation.org

History of the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge
After years of interaction experience with sharks as recreational catch & release innovators, volunteer researchers and advocates for practical conservation principles, USC tournament architects, Sean and Brooks Paxton, began leveraging their entertainment background in efforts to deliver their shark-release concept to a wider and more mainstream audience. The brothers recognized effective and credible collaborations would be essential so they set out to assemble a core team that would share their ambitions to effectively combine the goals of sport, science and conservation.

In 2009, they approached Robert Hueter, Ph.D., director of Mote Marine Laboratory's Center for Shark Research. The brothers already knew Hueter, and that he had run a successful research-driven, catch & release shark tournament from 1989 to 1998. After further refinements to the brother’s concept, the trio contacted renowned marine wildlife artist, scientist and conservationist Guy Harvey, Ph.D., who enthusiastically supported this innovative tournament model. In early 2010, the Paxtons met Capt. Robert Moore, an accomplished southwest Florida charter captain, guide and catch & release shark specialist. After productive discussions and shared philosophies, Capt. Moore rounded out the team as an instrumental collaborator and partner in delivering this Next Generation Shark-Release Tournament model.

About Mote Marine Laboratory
Founded in 1955, Mote Marine Laboratory is an independent nonprofit marine research organization. Mote is dedicated to advancing the science of the sea through the study of marine and estuarine ecosystems, through our public Mote Aquarium and through an education division that provides unique programs for all ages. Throughout 2010, Mote celebrated its 55th Anniversary with special events highlighting its groundbreaking ocean research and outreach.

About Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation
Founded by marine biologist and artist Guy Harvey, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation is an organization of philanthropists, conservationists, scientists and educators focused on developing sensible strategies for promoting the conservation of our oceans and nurturing the next generation of marine scientists and guardians of our seas.

Mote Marine Labs Spearheads Gulf Shark Effort

SARASOTA, Fla. – For months the Deepwater Horizon oil spill shut down tourism and commercial fishing along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Along with killing 11 people, the disaster cost billions of dollars and the full environmental impact may not yet fully be known. But groundbreaking research happening in Southwest Florida could give us a better idea of the long term effects of the spill on the ecosystem.

Hundreds of millions of gallons of crude oil spewed into the Gulf of Mexico as a result of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

“Once you have oil, that massive amount of oil spilled into the environment, you already got severe problems,” Dr. Richard Pierce, director of Mote Marine’s Center for Ecotoxicology told WINK.

The spill would eventually become the largest accidental marine oil spill in history. Mote Marine scientists jumped into action last summer to examine the immediate impacts. But the long term effects are the biggest concern. Mote’s Senior Vice President of research, Dr. Michael crosby explains the concept of trophic cascading, a way to refer to major changes in the food chain that could occur as a result of oil contamination.

“If any of those species are negatively impacted over the longer term following the oil spill, it has cascading impacts throughout the entire ecosystem; the entire seascape,” he said.

It’s easy to imagine that all forms of marine life, up and down the food chain, could be impacted in some way by the oil spill. At Mote Marine they are already conducting a study, starting at the very top.

Groundbreaking research is happening right now at Mote Marine involving sharks. Dr. Robert Hueter says when he started looking for other studies on the impacts of oil on sharks, what he found surprised him.

“Incredibly, we discovered there was only one paper in the entire world on oil contaminants. There are lots of other papers on other types of contaminants. But on oil (or hydrocarbons) and sharks — one paper in the whole world. So we’re really dealing with a vacuum of information and we realize this study that we’re doing now is not only going to tell us what’s happened, perhaps, with the Deepwater Horizon incident, but also lay the groundwork for understanding what the effects of oil worldwide could be on these shark populations,” he said. “We are looking at fertility and if the animal’s reproductive systems have been affected by the chemical pollution they may have been exposed to.”

Dr. Robert Hueter is leading a study to see how oil affects the top predators in the gulf, sharks! The team will take four, week-long cruises to the area around the well over a two-year period. They catch the sharks, collect blood and tissue samples, and in some cases tag them for future study.

“It’s a health assessment of the entire gulf. The Gulf of Mexico is a huge place. You don’t just figure these things out in months or even a year two,” Dr. Hueter said. “I’ve heard people say we dodged a bullet… I say we took a bullet. We didn’t dodge a bullet, but we took a bullet and we’re now assessing how bad the wound is and how much blood we’ve lost.”

Funding for Mote’s shark study is coming from a grant by the Florida Institute of Technology. The grant is paid for by money from BP. It even led to the purchase of new equipment to help analyze the data collected in the field. They take their next cruise into the spill zone next month.

Update: Special lecture series Dr. Robert Hueter's talk "Tracking the World's Largest Shark." tonight information here.

The Paxtons cover the Gulf Spill

Dr.Bob Hueter from Mote Marine Lab spent some time in the Gulf looking for effects of Americas worst oil disaster on sharks, tuna and billfish, and the Paxton Brothers were there to document.

This is raw footage from that expedition:

Raw Media Footage - BP Gulf Disaster Mote Shark Research

PROJECT INFO: Highlight footage approved by Mote Marine Laboratory for news/media use. Research Expedition headed by Dr. Bob Hueter, Director - Mote Center for Shark Research to study effects of BP Gulf Oil Disaster.

FORMAT: Multi-Camera, HD, 16:9. Field produced & shot by the Paxton Brothers in dual role as Science Party Crew and Presenters.

STATUS: Project available for co-production & development, programming content & distribution, news/media stock footage and certain educational applications.

The team at Think Out Loud Productions is focused on innovative outdoor adventure & wildlife footage, still and textual content to support non-fiction or documentary television programming and / or other multi-media educational opportunities.

Contact: Info@ThinkOutLoudProductions.com for details.

For More Information Visit: ThinkOutLoudProductions

'Shark Brothers' join Mote to test Gulf sharks for oil

SARASOTA - Sean and Brooks Paxton, known to some as the "Shark Brothers," have dedicated themselves to marine and wildlife conservation.

And a few weeks ago they added Mote Marine Laboratory research team to their bios.

"I'd say it was like going on the greatest field trip ever," said Sean Paxton, 44, about the five-day trip the brothers spent with a Mote crew the Gulf searching and sampling for signs of oil impacting marine life, with a special focus on sharks.

"They're (sharks) feared, but they're also a threatened species, so they do need our help," Brooks Paxton said.

Mote used Brooks, 40, and Sean's expertise in catching and releasing large sharks.

"The first animal was a tiger shark in excess of 10 feet, a beautiful male specimen," Sean Paxton said.

The brothers also filmed some of the trip. The footage shows that big tiger shark slamming his jaws shut as Sean headed toward him on board the research vessel.

"The other animals we encountered in the world of sharks were silkies, a scalloped hammerhead, a mako," Sean Paxton said.

Bob Hueter, who is the director of Mote's Center for Shark Research, led the research trip.

"Yes, the fish can look healthy, but inside the liver, inside the blood, reproductive organs, for example, we can find residues of the contaminants of the oil," Hueter said. "Or their behavior changes and they don't go to the right places to feed and possibly shifting not only populations but the whole ecosystem out there."

Complete post.

Mote Marine Labs Spearheads Shark Effort

(Reuters) - A team of U.S. scientists and environmentalists met with Cuban officials this week to discuss a proposed alliance, including Mexico, to protect the Gulf of Mexico's declining shark population.

The meetings were a product of both improved U.S.-Cuba relations and concern that only a joint effort by the three nations that share the gulf can protect sharks, whose numbers are said to be down as much as 50 percent for some species.

"The Gulf of Mexico is one ecosystem, it's not just the U.S. gulf. The shark is a highly migratory fish that moves between the countries and it is troubled," said Pamela Baker, gulf policy advisor for the New York-based Environmental Defense Fund, which is spearheading the effort along with the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida.

Shark populations have fallen worldwide, primarily due to overfishing to satisfy China's demand for shark fin soup, which is rising as China becomes more prosperous, scientists say.

An estimated 73 million sharks are being killed annually mostly for their fins, the EDF said in a recent publication.

Still unknown, said shark expert Robert Hueter at the Mote Marine Laboratory, is the effect of the massive BP oil spill this summer in the Gulf of Mexico.

Complete Story.

Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge - Media Coverage

Ongoing media coverage of the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge which made history this week in Florida:

Mote Marine Labs - Press Release Sharks

Five teams won the right this weekend to compete in the final round of the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge - an innovative shark tournament uniting sport fishing, science, business and humane interests as never before.

The Challenge is a catch-and-release only competition off the Southwest Florida coast in which fishermen compete by catching sharks and scientists tag the sharks for conservation research purposes to learn more about the animals' travels in the wild. The Challenge is designed to be a "next generation" model for shark fishing competitions, supporting shark protection while providing the excitement that spectators and anglers have come to expect.

A select group of nine teams was chosen to fish in the qualifying round on May 1 and 2 out of Burnt Store Marina in Punta Gorda. The five high-scoring teams will fish the Grand Championship Finale on May 21-23 at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota.

The teams caught and released bull, lemon, blacktip, Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose and nurse sharks. With help from trained observers and guidance from Mote scientists, the teams fitted all qualifying sharks (five feet or longer) with conventional ID tags for research, including bull, lemon, blacktip and nurse sharks.

"I honestly feel we're making history here," said Sean Paxton. He and his brother, Brooks, known as the Shark Brothers, are creators and directors of the event along with co-Director and Associate Producer Capt. Robert Moore. The directors said: "Our vision was to combine the goals of sport, science and conservation collaboratively and effectively. We've already achieved that in the qualifying round, and this is only the beginning."

The 8-foot, 2-inch female bull shark was fitted with a satellite-linked tracking tag by scientists from Mote's Center for Shark Research on the morning of Saturday, May 1. By the following Tuesday, May 4, the tag had sent a number of transmissions showing that the shark was about three to four miles offshore of where it was caught, tagged and released. Mote scientists will continue to track the shark's movements and a website displaying the tracks will be available for the public very soon.

"It's especially important that we satellite-tagged a mature female, because she may lead us to where she's mating or giving birth to pups," said Dr. Robert Hueter, Director of Mote's Center for Shark Research, who oversaw all scientific aspects of the tournament. "When it comes to mating grounds for bull sharks, we know zero."

Finding and protecting these mating grounds and "nurseries" where shark pups shelter and grow is important for conservation and management of shark populations. The tournament's scientific goals include satellite tagging a mature female great hammerhead shark - considered "endangered" by the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

High winds and choppy seas may have lessened the chance for catching great hammerheads and other target species during the qualifying round. Also, unusually cold weather this year may have delayed movement of the sharks' prey fish into the area. Tournament organizers are optimistic that more chances for satellite tagging will arise during the Grand Championship.

Tough fishing conditions didn't dampen the anglers' spirits. "You guys really shined," said Co-director Moore during the awards reception Sunday evening. "We've got some real professionals here. I want to thank and acknowledge all the teams and observers. These guys are the stars of the show."
The public can watch the five remaining teams compete in the Grand Championship on May 21-23 at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. Spectators onshore can enjoy an exciting and educational multimedia experience, including video feeds from the heart of the action. Learn more at the tournament website: http://ultimatesharkchallenge.squarespace.com/

Media: Low-res photos of catching, tagging and releasing of sharks are available, along with high-res photos of the tournament participants. Please contact Hayley Rutger, Mote Public Relations Specialist, 941-374-0081 or hrutger@mote.org.Media are welcome to attend the Grand Championship Finale at Mote, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota, Fla. Please RSVP to Hayley.
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About the tournament: The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge was developed in 2009 when Sean and Brooks Paxton approached Mote's Dr. Robert Hueter about the idea of an innovative catch-and-release shark tournament. Together with Capt. Robert Moore, the group then teamed up with renowned marine wildlife artist, scientist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey to present a model for responsible sport fishing that promotes shark protection. This "next generation" shark competition has been endorsed as a more humane alternative to traditional catch-and-kill tournaments by the Humane Society of the United States and is also supported by the Shark-Free Marinas Initiative and Fishpond USA.

Catch, Release, Conserve: The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge

Sport fishing, science, business and humane interests are coming together for the first time in support of a new kind of catch-and-release fishing tournament for sharks that demonstrates that a fishing competition really can support shark protection while providing the excitement that spectators and anglers have come to expect.

The new Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge series is a catch-and-release only competition off the Southwest Florida coast, beginning with a qualifying round April 30 - May 2 at Burnt Store Marina in Lee County and concluding with a Grand Championship Finale May 21-23 at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota. During the tournament, fishermen will compete by catching sharks and scientists will tag the sharks for conservation research purposes to learn more about the animals' travels in the wild. Spectators will be able to watch the action live via video from the boats.

"For the first time, what we call a ‘love 'em and leave 'em' shark tournament will be transformed into a true spectator sport," said Sean Paxton. He and his brother, Brooks, known as the Shark Brothers, are creators and directors of the event. Along with Co-Director and Associate Producer Capt. Robert Moore, they said: "Our shared vision for this tournament is to effectively combine the goals of sport, science and conservation. By leveraging modern broadcast technology, we'll also be providing spectators onshore with an exciting and educational multimedia experience."

The Humane Society of the United States views the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge tournament design as a significantly more humane alternative to traditional catch-and-kill shark tournaments. "We know shark species are in decline and that we need to better understand their life histories in the wild," said John Grandy, Ph.D., senior vice president of HSUS. "We think this tournament format will help support necessary protection for sharks that would have died in a traditional kill tournament."

The tournament was developed in 2009 when the Paxtons approached Robert Hueter, Ph.D., director of Mote Marine Laboratory's Center for Shark Research, about the idea of an innovative catch-and-release shark tournament. Hueter had run a successful all-release, research-oriented shark tournament from 1989 to 1998 along the southwest Florida coast. Together with Capt. Moore, the group then teamed up with renowned marine wildlife artist, scientist and conservationist Guy Harvey, Ph.D., to present a model for responsible sport fishing that promotes shark protection.

Harvey, a longtime marine conservationist and founder of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, said the tournament will increase global awareness of the important role that sharks play in the world's oceans and our ecosystem. "The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge Tournament Series will be a uniquely exciting event for participants, spectators and everyone who cares about the future of our oceans," he said.

Hueter and staff from Mote's Center for Shark Research will oversee the scientific aspects of the tournament, including tagging operations. Anglers will attach identification tags to as many sharks as possible and scientists will outfit a number of sharks with satellite-linked transmitters that will track shark movements after release. Hammerhead and bull sharks will be the focus of the satellite tagging efforts, but other species may be tagged as well. The satellite tags are designed to transmit location and other information about the shark's travels when the animal's dorsal fin breaks the surface of the water.

Once the satellite tags are deployed, the public will be able to follow these sharks' travels on the Internet for as long as one year or more.

"This project will provide a breakthrough in collaborative research involving the marine science and recreational fishing communities," Hueter said. "The fishermen deserve great credit for embracing this new approach. By working together to develop a 21st-century, conservation-oriented alternative to the more traditional kill tournament, the Mote Center for Shark Research and tournament organizers hope to provide a national model for the responsible use of marine resources."

Supporting tournament organizers in this collaborative effort are Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah; Luke Tipple, director of the Shark-Free Marinas Initiative; and John Land Le Coq, co-founder of Fishpond USA, a prominent outdoor and fishing equipment retailer. All involved share a view that this event should become the "next generation" model for shark fishing competitions.

"Shark-Free Marinas has been involved with the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge since its inception and is in full support of its methodology," Tipple said. "Sharks need protection and we need to manage the ways we utilize their stocks. In the past, some shark fishing tournaments have killed reproductively capable sharks, which are a dwindling resource. This catch-and-release format offers the best of both worlds, allowing the sport of shark fishing to directly contribute to our scientific understanding of their population status and functional life history."

Le Coq and Fishpond are also concerned about the status of sharks. "Fishpond must lead by example to influence the destructive perceptions of the magnificent sharks that roam our oceans in peril, and to help end the kill-oriented tournaments that have traditionally existed in ports around our country," Le Coq stated.

Sharks will be caught using heavy conventional tackle, to reduce time between hook-up and release of sharks, and the fishermen will use inline, non-stainless steel circle hooks that minimize injury to the sharks. Sharks will be measured in the water and then outfitted with either conventional ID or satellite tracking tags. Tail snares and other special equipment will be used for angler and animal safety, as well as for humane handling and release of the sharks.

Qualifying Round

* When: April 30 - May 2
* Where: Burnt Store Marina, 3192 Matecumbe Key Rd., Punta Gorda, Fla.

Grand Championship Finale

* When: May 21 - 23
* Where: Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, Fla.

Shark conservation facts:

* Many shark species are imperiled worldwide. According to the World Conservation Union, about one-fifth of the 547 species of sharks and rays evaluated are considered threatened with extinction.

* Threshers, tigers, makos and blue sharks are all targeted in shark tournaments, along with hammerhead and bull sharks.

* There is still insufficient information available to evaluate the conservation status of about 100 shark species, many of which are also caught in tournaments.

* Anglers can be important collaborators in shark conservation efforts. Mote scientists have tagged more than 20,000 sharks over the past 20 years along Florida's Gulf Coast, with most tag returns by sport fishermen. Tagging allows Mote scientists to study shark abundance, movements and population dynamics, providing data for better management of shark populations.


Media Contacts

Tournament Directors: 941-416-1788 / 5073, Directors@TheUltimateSharkChallenge.com
Mote Marine Laboratory: Hayley Rutger, 941-374-0081, hrutger@mote.org
Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation: 1-800-288-1227, info@guyharveyoceanfoundation.org
HSUS: Liz Bergstrom, 301-258-1455, ebergstrom@humanesociety.org

About Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation

Founded by marine biologist and artist Guy Harvey, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation is an organization of philanthropists, conservationists, scientists and educators focused on developing sensible strategies for promoting the conservation of our oceans and nurturing the next generation of marine scientists and guardians of our seas.

About Mote Marine Laboratory

Founded in 1955, Mote Marine Laboratory is an independent nonprofit marine research organization. Mote is dedicated to advancing the science of the sea through the study of marine and estuarine ecosystems, through our public Mote Aquarium and through an education division that provides unique programs for all ages. Throughout 2010, Mote is celebrating its 55th Anniversary with special events highlighting its groundbreaking ocean research and outreach. Learn more at www.mote.org/55.

About The HSUS

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty - On the Web at humanesociety.org.

About Shark-Free Marinas

The Shark-Free Marina Initiative supports shark conservation at sport fishing and resort marinas by prohibiting the landing of any shark at the participating marina. Registered marinas will encourage sport shark-fishermen to exercise catch-and-release techniques. The acceptance of catch-and-release fishing techniques represents an incremental step in protecting valuable marine resources as well as providing valuable data for research organizations. SFMI also works with the community through it's Regional Ambassador program. For more information visit www.sharkfreemarinas.com.

Research - Florida Sharks Cure Depression

Do we need to stop dumping pharmaceuticals into our water systems?

Recent data coming out of Mote Marine Laboratory has found concentrations of anti-depressants and birth control drugs in local shark populations.

No, just licking the side of one of these critters will not remove your deep seated anger and depression...just yet. The data suggests larger forces at work here as millions of gallons of man made drugs are flushed each year in the U.S and are now appearing in fish populations.

Perhaps this is the reason China still consumes sharks fin. Since 1999 local hospitals in China have been recording emotionally stable patients, surprising cases of hair regrowth, and massive concentrations of Vitamin C in people who eat shark fin three times a week.

O.K - we made that last bit up.

What gets flushed into our water systems ends up somewhere. Kudos to the team at Mote Marine for the discovery. One more reason to not flush your meds.