Tiger shark - Credit: Richard Ling

Hunters taking advantage of a Japanese delicacy are thought to be the reason that shark stocks have drastically declined off the Gold Coast beaches.

Some astounding numbers revealed yesterday that shark nets had reeled in forty less sharks in the past year, compared to the same time frame in 2001/02.

Trevor Long, director of marine sciences for Sea World, revealed last night that over fishing by thriteen commercial shark hunters in the area had led to the steep decline in the shark population.

It is common knowledge that hunters have been reeling in sharks to harvest their valuable shark fins, which are part of the “shark fin soup” craze sweeping Japan.

In the 2001-02 fiscal year, seventy-eight sharks were reeled in in nets off the Coast, however by 2009-10 that number had dropped to thirty-seven.

This year, between the months of January and September, twenty-five sharks have been reeled in in shark nets and drumlines.

The largest shark reeled in was an impressive three-point-nine meter male greater hammerhead and ten were over two meters long.

Mr Long has commented that the shark populations declining was not the world’s best thing for the health of the world’s oceans.

“If we didn’t have sharks the whole marine ecosystem would become unbalanced – they are the top of the food chain and ensure the survival of the fittest,” Mr Long explained.
“It’s a worrying trend that shark numbers all over the world are dropping.”

The big question is, is it worth making an entire species extinct to get a bowl full of an exotic soup? Some say yes, others say no, however the general consensus is that we should take the poor shark off our dinner menus, before it’s too late.

Shark fins

Are sharks going to be able to make it through the 21st century?

This is the question which shark enthusiasts and conservationists the world over are contemplating. Shark populations are declining, and the inhumane practice of “finning” sharks appears to be at an all time high, despite efforts to stop the vile practice. Scientists say that if the sharks disappear, it will have drastic effects on the health of our oceans.

Wolfgang Leander, an avid shark conservationist, is imploring the officials of the Bahamas to put a ban on all shark fishing in the Bahamas, which currently is home to one of the worlds’ most large and diverse shark populations in the world.

The shark enthusiasts and conservationists around the globe want to keep it that way.

Shark enthusiasts and conservationists do have cause for concern. It was recently reported that Sunco, a fishing outfit hailing from Andros, is considering expanding its scope, and selling off shark fins to the Japanese.

This news was not taken lightly, and shark enthusiasts and conservationists, among them Mr. Leander, have made cries that the sharks of the Bahamian waters must be protected.

As of right now, there is no specific law governing the fishing of sharks in the Bahamas, however there is a ban in place which should make it more difficult, as it dictates that the use of long line or gill net fishing is strictly prohibited.

What will befall our sharks? Only time will tell..

Shark fins

Individuals involved in the European Parliament have commenced an initiative to more heavily enforce the EU ban on shark finning. Shark finning is a barbaric practice which involves capturing a shark, ripping of its fins, and tossing the rest overboard.

The shark finning ban in the EU is one of the least enforced in the world, as it contains loopholes which prevent law enforcement officials from properly enforcing it. You see, the regulation which bans shark finning in the EU also has a derogation which allows different states of the EU to give out licenses to “process” sharks, and remove their fin on ocean faring vessels.

The most effective, and easiest, way to have a ban on shark finning would dictate that sharks need to be reeled in intact, meaning that fishermen can’t just bring in the fins in their hauls.

“For too many European fisheries, the EU ban on finning is the only measure in place that helps curb excessive killing of sharks. The ban must be strengthened to ensure that this incredibly wasteful practice is prevented,” explained Chris Davies MEP. “France has long supported strong bans on shark finning, in European waters as well as in our overseas territories,” said Jean-Paul Besset MEP “French fishermen are already leaving the fins attached to sharks caught in oceans all over the world, demonstrating that this strategy is entirely feasible. We cannot wait any longer to enforce robust protection for these important predators, which are so key to the balance of life in the sea.”

It’s good to see that someone in the parliament is finally making a stand for the poor sharks. Let us hope that something is done soon to protect the poor creatures more effectively.

Shark fins

Seafood traders have had enough of all the cruel practices used when hunting sharks and have made an agreement amongst each other to help bring it to an end. The plan is to create a task force, one which would make sure hat sharks are not finned and thrown back into the water.

The Marine Products Association in Hong Kong commented yesterday that a conservation and management committee will be ready to do some actual good about half a year from now. It will include marine experts, nongovernmental organizations and of course the seafood traders who started the whole ball of wax rolling.

Charlie Lim Tin-que, the general secretary of the Marine Products Association, announced the creation of this task force, slash conservation and management committee, at the International Marine Conference yesterday. This conference is widely attended by international marine experts, seafood traders, officers from Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Customs and Excise Department.

Lim took the podium and had a very attentive audience as he explained: “Due to the raised public concern on international finning incidents, in which fishermen are said to be cutting whale sharks’ fins while still alive and then releasing them back into the sea to die a slow and painful death, we decided to set up an advisory committee on banning the trade in endangered species and illegal food importation,”

There you have it, in six months we will have an anti shark-finning task force, and they sound like they mean business. One can only hope this doesn’t escalate into some form of heavily armed vigilantism…