In the fish markets of Asia, the tailfin from a basking shark can fetch nearly 10,000 USD (5,250 UKP), a price tag justified not by its nutritional value, but its desirability as a vast sign on which restaurants can advertise their shark fin soup.

Demand for the delicacy is rising fast, and at up to $100 a bowl, fisheries around the world are in open competition to supply more than 10,000 tonnes of fins to Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan and Singapore every year.

Many species of shark are becoming endangered due to overfishing. Overall numbers have decreased by around 90% in the last few decades. Shark fins contain unsafe levels of mercury and can cause health problems, especially to young children and pregant women. Shark finning is an inhumane practise and it shames those who trade or consume shark fins.

People in the Far East are becoming aware of the issue of shark finning, by removing shark fins from their stores Makro can show itself to be a socially responsible company and follow the lead of companies like Shangri-La Hotels who have stopped serving shark fin soup in their restaurants.

The last decade has seen a drastic increase in the scale of threats facing the ocean and its wildlife. Advances in technology have allowed for bigger and more efficient fishing fleets targeting area’s that were once out a reach. The wasteful practice of shark finning has risen radically pushing many shark populations to the brink of collapse. Climate change and pollution are having devastating effects on critical marine environments and the creatures living within them.  A once abundant wilderness brimming with life is being plundered at an alarming rate with little understanding or consideration of the possible consequences. The severe lack of public awareness surrounding marine issues is paving the way to an ecological disaster on a global scale.

Although some organizations are doing amazing work to protect sharks, including Stop Shark Finning, Sea Shepherd, Shark Trust, Shark Life (South African) and Shark Savers, our initiatives are focus on creating awareness within South Africa.

Britain has secured international agreement to clamp down on the illegal trade of rhino horn, which has become so sought after it is worth more than diamonds, gold, heroin and cocaine.

The UK will lead a global steering group to dispel the myths that rhino horn can cure cancer or help stroke patients, which are fuelling demand for it in Asia and driving up its price to £50,000 a kilo.

Countries and conservation groups will share intelligence and policing tactics and work on public awareness campaigns against the illegal trade. The agreement was reached at the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species in Geneva.

The environment secretary, Caroline Spelman, said: "Criminals trading in rhino horn have lined their pockets while bringing this magnificent animal to the brink of extinction, but their days are now numbered.

"We will be leading global action to clamp down on this cruel and archaic trade, and to dispel the myths peddled to vulnerable people that drive demand for rhino products."

There has been a significant increase in the number of rhinos killed in countries such as South Africa since 2010, in what conservationists warn is a "poaching crisis".

The UK will support a workshop in South Africa in September to develop better co-operation between countries where rhinos are poached and those where their horns are sold.

Last September, after the UK's animal health agency detected a rise in the number of rhino horn products being sold through auction houses, it issued a warning that it would refuse almost all applications to export such items from the UK.

It was feared that the legal export of "worked items", such as ornaments, created and acquired before June 1947, was being used to send rhino horn to Asia, where it is powdered and used for medicinal purposes. The trade could stimulate the market for products from the endangered animal, fuelling poaching, officials said.

Under rules brought in for the UK and then backed by the EU, export licences are granted only if the item's artistic value exceeds its potential value on the black market, if it is part of a genuine exchange of goods between institutions such as museums, if it is being taken as an heirloom by a family moving country, or if it is part of a bona fide research project.

The year 2012 is off to a good as as we have launched our first conservation campaign highlighting the plight of endangered species throughout South Africa. The campaign will be subscription based, 200 ZAR per year, and it will allow all subscribers to contribute to our conservation effors. In those subscribers who wish to actively take part in the campaign will be able to see their hard work in our "Calendar with a Cause 2013".

In order to subscribe you must create an account on www.sawcer.com by clicking here. Once you have created your account, sign in and tick the "I want to subscribe" tick-box. It is going to be a great campaign and we would like all of our follows to take part and help make a difference!