COLE BAY–The carcass of a juvenile Caribbean Reef Shark was confiscated by Nature Foundation after divers reported it on a reef within Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area. The intentional hunting and harming of sharks has been illegal in St. Maarten waters since 2011.
Nature Foundation is investigating the incident together with law enforcement authorities.
“It seems as if this animal was caught while fishermen were fishing illegally just inside the Marine Park at night. Instead of letting the animal go the fishermen killed the animal and threw it back on the reef. This is a complete waste and is illegal based on the protected status of sharks on the island,” said Nature Foundation Manager Tadzio Bervoets.
The foundation has been working hard on changing the perception of the fishing community and the community in general about the importance of sharks to the local economy and to keeping healthy fish stock in balance.
There have been seven incidents of sharks harmed or killed in local waters since 2012, two of which occurred in the Man of War Shoal Marine Park.
The practice of intentionally fishing for sharks has been forbidden since October 12, 2011, when government banned the practice of intentionally hunting sharks in the territorial waters of St. Maarten.
The act of trying to catch by tracking, stalking, baiting, chasing, trapping, hooking, netting, shooting or otherwise hunting sharks, rays and skates is prohibited and therefore the animals may not be wounded, caught, landed, or killed. Violators may be punished with jail and a considerable fine may be issued. If a shark is accidentally caught all steps should be taken to release the animal with as little harm as possible.
The ban on intentionally harming sharks was further reinforced in June 2016 with government announcing St. Maarten’s territorial waters as a shark sanctuary.
Previous Nature Foundation research has shown that a single live shark is worth up to US $884,000 to the country’s economy compared to just a few dollars dead. The majority of divers who come to the island pay top dollar to see sharks in their natural environment.
These divers also rent cars, stay in hotels, eat at restaurants and drink in bars.
Sharks are an apex predator and are essential to the health of local coral reefs. “If we do not have sharks we will lose our coral reef ecosystem. Sharks keep the reefs clean of unhealthy fish, which in turn keeps the ecosystem in balance,” said Bervoets.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/78271-shark-killed-illegally-in-marine-protected-area
View comments
Hide comments