Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Dr. Lark.com: Losing sharks for a bottle of moisturizer

Dr. Susan Lark is an online entrepreneur in the beauty and skin care products industry. Her web site, www.drlark.com, offers a range of products. Of particular note is a moisturizer called Ocean Actives Deep Water Squalane. Its key active ingredient is squalane - derived from sharks, particularly deep water sharks. The company claims the squalane is procured from sharks taken as part of the orange roughy fishery. But a comparable substitute is available as a byproduct from olives.

Like many sharks, deep water sharks are very susceptiple to overfishing due to their slow reproductive rates. Not to mention the fact that the orange roughy fishing industry engages in very destructive techniques that damage the sea floor and ensare nearly anything in the path of the nets. And since there is a suitable substitute ingredient derived from olives, it makes little sense to add to the slaughter of deep water sharks and other marine life.

Oceana.org has set up a page in their web site where you can send Dr.Lark.com a loud and clear email (click here). Check it out and let's get one more commercial enterprise on the side of marine conservation.

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