News / Green
“Scared for Sharks”: Oceana Launches Public Service Announcement Campaign with Actress January Jones
Star of Emmy Award-winning TV series “Mad Men” joins Oceana’s efforts to protect sharks
The PSAs were produced in February 2009 when Jones joined Oceana at the Bimini Biological Field Station, also known as "The Shark Lab,” in the Bahamas. Jones’ Scared for Sharks ads feature her swimming with sharks and holding juvenile sharks as part of the Lab's research to learn more about local populations. The PSAs show that sharks are uninterested in people and that in reality we should all be scared for sharks because their populations are being decimated around the world.
“I am so ecstatic to be a face for Oceana's shark campaign and help make a difference for these magnificent creatures,” said Jones. “After interacting with sharks at such close proximity, I believe now, more than ever, that they carry a stigma with them that is so unnecessary.”
Shark populations worldwide face severe threats from overfishing. Drastic declines in shark populations have occurred in recent years, with some populations now depleted by more than 90 percent in just the past few decades. As apex, or top predators of the sea, many shark species are a necessary component to maintaining a complex ecosystem full of diversity and life. Sharks feed on the animals below them in the food web, helping to regulate and maintain the balance of life in the ocean. They can also indirectly control the health of coral reefs and the health of seagrass beds, and ultimately, bottom dwelling communities.
“I think spreading the word about the negative effects humans are having on sharks is crucial,” added Jones. “I hope as a result of this campaign, the public will become more engaged in Oceana’s work -- it’s an amazing organization with amazing contacts, scientists and supporters – a truly inspired and motivated group of people.”
To date, Oceana’s print ads featuring Jones have been published in American Prospect, Arrive, Boho, Endless Vacation, Forbes, InStyle and Travel + Leisure. Oceana’s print and online ads along with their 30 second TV and radio spots can be found on Oceana’s new web page devoted to its partnership with Jones at www.Oceana.org/scaredforsharks. In addition to allowing media to easily access the PSAs, the site also gives visitors the opportunity to:
• Virtually adopt a shark for $35
• Sign up to become an Oceana Wavemaker (online supporter)
• Learn more about sharks
• Take action in support of Oceana’s shark campaign
Oceana is hard at work in Europe and the United States to protect sharks. In Europe, Oceana won a commitment earlier this year from Spain, one of the world’s largest shark fishing nations, to ban hammerhead and thresher shark fishing. In the United States, Oceana has promoted the passage of comprehensive shark legislation that would close loopholes that facilitate shark finning and establish the U.S. as a global leader in shark protection. The House of Representatives passed the Shark Conservation Act of 2009 in March. Oceana now looks to the Senate for fast passage of this important piece of legislation.
To download and view all PSAs featuring January Jones, visit: www.Oceana.org/scaredforsharks.
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Oceana campaigns to protect and restore the world’s oceans. Our team of marine scientists, economists, lawyers and advocates win specific and concrete policy changes to reduce pollution and to prevent the irreversible collapse of fish populations, marine mammals and other sea life. Global in scope and dedicated to conservation, Oceana has campaigners based in North America, Europe and South America. More than 300,000 members and e-activists in over 150 countries have already joined Oceana. For more information, please visit www.Oceana.org
