Shark Lab: Protecting Sharks for a Healthy Ocean
WEDNESDAY 15TH OCTOBER, 2 PM - 4 PM
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, Culina Mundi Space (ASP E), BRUSSELS
(Keynote by MEP Manuela Ripa, EPP, at 2 pm)
Healthy oceans are a core requirement for growing a sustainable blue economy. For this, a thriving biodiversity is of utmost importance and needs to be a priority for all of us, protecting livelihoods for this and future generations. As a keystone species, Sharks play a critical role in ocean health and resilient ecosystems, and in combating climate change and ensuring food security from healthy oceans. However, sharks are considered the second most threatened vertebrate group after amphibians, with some species declining by over 90% in the last 50 years. Preventing the loss of healthy shark populations and their ecosystem services matters to everyone on this planet, whether a coastal state or landlocked.
The World Café invites Members of Parliament and EU policymakers participating in the Ocean Week to come together during a 2-hour event to share ideas, answer questions, and raise the collective awareness of core threats impacting global shark populations, and therefore the health of our ocean and our blue planet.
The event features an open format, with a series of tabletop discussions focusing on various threats to shark populations, common misconceptions, and possible solutions we can jointly prioritise. We invite participants to join the conversation, learn and share experiences, and help us design the best pathways to strategic action.
The Shark Lab is organized by Seas At Risk and member organizations, Stop Finning Deutschland e.V., Elasmocean, Sharkproject, Shark Guardian, Deutsche Stiftung Meeresschutz, Irish Wildlife Trust, and Sciaena.
The event is sponsored by MEP Manuela Ripa (EPP, Vice-chair, Welfare and Conservation of Animals Intergroup and member of the ENVI Committee), who will open the event with a keynote address.
No registration necessary, this event is open to anyone who has access to the EU Parliament building