WORLD FIRST!!!: Palau Bans Shark Fishing, Creates Pacific Sanctuary
25Sep2009 Filed under: Marine conservation Author: Stephan BeckerI jumped up and down today upon receiving this news - had to push it on Twitter right away….:-)
Sept. 25 (Bloomberg) — The Pacific nation of Palau is creating the first shark sanctuary, banning commercial fishing of all sharks in its waters from vessels that hunt the predators for their fins, coveted in soups as an Asian delicacy.
Johnson Toribiong, president of the island republic, announced the commercial shark-fishing ban today at the United Nations General Assembly, saying “the strength and beauty of sharks are a natural barometer for the health of our oceans.”
Shark populations are in danger of collapse along with salmon and tuna commercial fisheries because of scant protective measures. Great whites, hammerheads and a third of deep-sea sharks and rays face extinction as fishing fleets trawling worldwide seek them for meat and fins, according to the Gland, Switzerland-based IUCN conservation group.
“The situation for sharks at the moment is catastrophic,” said Carl-Gustaf Lundin, head of marine conservation at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. “Their populations around the world are at risk of collapse.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Jeremy van Loon in Berlin at jvanloon@bloomberg.net
- Tags: palau, shark, shark finning, Toribiong
About this blog
Stephan is the President and Founder of Beautiful Oceans, an international coral reef education, mapping and conservation organization. His company donates 1% of its annual revenues or 10% of its annual profits, whichever is greater, to non-profit organizations working in the field of marine conservation. Beautiful Oceans Coral Reef Adventures and courses are available online and at selected destinations throughout the Caribbean for the enjoyment of the entire family.
To quote Stephan: "My commitment to the protection of the natural world finds its roots in the profound understanding that all life on Earth is interconnected. Being respectful of all forms of life equals being respectful of ourselves." When Stephan is not in the water diving or snorkeling, he likes to practice Yoga on the beach or tell ocean stories to marveled kids..
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