SBS World News Australia recently posted the interview above to YouTube, which features retired NBA star Yao Ming. While the interview covers many topics including Ming’s basketball career as a player and now a club owner, it also touches on environmental issues including pollution and shark conservation. Ming has been outspoken in recent years about shark conservation and has encouraged an end to the consumption of shark fin soup.

The Virgin Group’s Richard Branson and former NBA star Yao Ming have recently been featured in the media speaking out against the consumption of shark fin soup. The UK’s Telegraph shared the video above on their YouTube channel which features previously seen footage of Branson swimming with whale sharks and speaking out about threatened species. The end of the video features Ming’s latest WildAid PSA targeting shark fin soup consumption.

The Sun-Sentinel is reporting that the FWC has already “approved a ban” on the killing of these species. However, the FWC press release states that a final hearing on the proposed ban will not take place until November.

While the proposed ban would prohibit the killing of these four species, catch-and-release fishing of the sharks would still be permitted.

Shark Defenders have posted the trailer above for a documentary titled “Shark Hope” to their YouTube channel. According to the video description the documentary is a collaboration between Walker Films, Ratu Manoa Rasagitale, the Coral Reef Alliance and Pew Environment Group. The documentary focuses on efforts to create Fiji National Shark Sanctuary.

For each can of White Tip sold, 5 cents will be donated to support the Department of Environment’s “Sharks, Whales and Dolphins” program. The program is geared toward the assessment and preservation of the Cayman’s wild shark and cetacean populations.

Underwater cinematographer and professional speaker Annie Crawley recently talked with President Johnson Toribiong about declaring Palau’s waters as a shark sanctuary. President Toribiong discusses how he went about making Palau the world’s first national shark sanctuary. Toribiong also discusses the importance of ocean conservation and the sustainability of marine life. Toribiong also stresses the importance of teaching children to respect the oceans and the environment.

According to an MSNBC report, long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad will attempt to swim 103 miles through “shark-infested” waters from Cuba to Key West, Florida at the age of 61.

CNN is reporting that Nyad wants to make it “crystal clear” that no sharks will be harmed by her team during her upcoming swim. She told CNN that she will have a team of professional divers with many years of experience in using “cutting-edge” non-lethal shark deterrents. She went on to that the team will act to protect her, while respecting the animals she might encounter.

Nyad is expected to begin the swim sometime in the very near future when the weather and ocean conditions are most ideal for the 103 mile journey. It is expected that the swim will take around 60 hours to complete.

Discovery Networks recently uploaded the video above to their YouTube channel which focuses on recently passed legislation in Chile, Honduras, and the Bahamas that helps to protect sharks within those countries’ waters. Honduras and the Bahamas have recently banned commercial fishing making their waters a “shark sanctuary,” while Chile has banned the practice of shark finning.

For more information, check out the full article on the Chilean shark finning ban at Discovery News.

A bill will be signed into law today declaring Honduran waters a sanctuary for sharks.

According to the New York Times, Honduran president Porfirio Lobo Sosa will sign a bill into law today that will establish a permanent moratorium on commercial shark fishing in Honduran waters. The new law will affect 92,665 square miles off of the Honduran coast (including both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts).

The Times reports that the bill will be signed on the island of Roatan, one of Honduras’ most popular diving destinations.