Fins Attached Gains Maritime Cook Islands Support

Maritime Cook Islands (MCI), a leading ship registry, is stepping up its efforts to support the work of Fins Attached, a non-profit organization aimed at saving the world’s shark population and promoting preservation as essential for the global ecosystem.

As a sponsor of the U.S.-based organization, MCI has assisted in the successful registration of the organization’s 134-feet vessel, Sharkwater, under the Cook Islands flag. 

The vessel, named after award-winning 2007 film, Sharkwater, acts as the mode of transport for research scientists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), marine students as well as documentary crew for their expeditions in the Eastern Pacific Islands and Mexico – just to name a few.

With 25 expeditions per year, the aim is to spread awareness of the Fins Attached mission.

Founder of Fins Attached, Dr. Alex Antoniou, who spoke at MCI’s 2017 Deputy Registrars Conference in Fort Lauderdale, U.S., highlighted: “Shark finning and shark’s fins as a delicacy, has caused an alarming decline in the shark population by over 90 percent in the last 40 years. And this is why it is important to protect the ocean’s apex predators in maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem for the benefit of all marine creatures.”

MCI Chief Executive Officer, Glenn Armstrong said today: “Fins Attached’s mission resonates closely with another initiative that MCI is supporting – Marae Moana – both emphasizing the preservation of the marine ecosystem.” 

“With our about to be granted status as a developed nation (which will only be official in late 2018), we now have a greater voice and we certainly look towards actively raising awareness of this initiative to bilateral partners around the world.”