China's Alibaba.comlibaba claims to be the world's largest global business-to-business auction site.
The Ocean Realm Society will join an email campaign opposing the business practice of the online trader Alibaba.com to allow the posting of shark parts for purchase and sale.
According to the company web site, Alibaba.com Corporation is China's leading e-commerce company, operating the world's largest online marketplaces for both international and domestic China trade, as well as China's most popular online payment system, AliPay. Alibaba.com also owns and operates Yahoo! China, which it acquired in October of 2005.
According to founder Richard H. Stewart, the Ocean Realm Society will enthusiastically support an email write-in campaign initiated by noted underwater photographer Wolfgang Leander, who currently resides in Bolivia. Leander's 'shark-finning' story is featured in the current edition of the Ocean Realm Journal, the society's publication for which he servers as a contributing editor.
"We are asking our members," said Stewart, "as well as those of other environmentally-oriented organizations, to express their outrage. This irresponsible action by Alibaba.com provides shark traders a method to buy and sell shark body parts."
A recent search on the Alibaba website turned up 71 postings by 335 companies listing 169 shark-related products. This type of business platform serves only to fuel the senseless slaughter of sharks, said Leander, further decimating a population that, by some accounts, is being reduced at the rate of one hundred million sharks per year.
"Eliminating demand is the only effective method for disrupting the supply line," said Stewart. "This effort to convince Alibaba.com that it's website contributes to a global problem, could have a positive effect."
Responding to Stewart's campaign to stop the trade of shark fins, Porter Erisman, VP of Alibaba.com, has vowed to review the policy with members and have a comment in late November.
To see the scope of global shark buying visit http://importer.alibaba.com/buyeroffers/Shark.html.
To see Alibaba.com management visit http://importer.alibaba.com/buyeroffers/Shark.html.
To locate the Alibaba.com office nearest you visit http://importer.alibaba.com/buyeroffers/Shark.html.
To voice your concerns about Alibaba.com shark trade postings visit their website.