Palau sharks targeted....

Sad to report that I've just come back from shooting footage of the latest illegally landed haul of Silky Sharks by a Taiwanese vessel in Palau waters. I got the call from a buddy in the Attorney General's office so went down to take a look.

 

Sad stuff. About 95 Silky Sharks and parts were taken from the hold, finned and ready to go. The captain tried bribing the boarding party to leave them alone so is facing double charges. Some of the landed sharks were painfully small, it makes you wonder if they even had any meat on them at all.

 

Mark.

Mark,

That is really sad. Let's make sure this crime is used to further the cause!

Shawn

Thats pretty bad Mark.

Burn the boat and give them all big fines.

Yes this is really terrible and hopefully even better enforcement will ensue in Palau and vicinity.

 

The only thing I'd like to point out on this is, yes this is horrible and very illegal but when I was in Palau, Spring 2004, many of the gift shops in Koror and even the gift shop at the airport no less were selling hawksbill turtle shell hair combs and jewelry!!!!! (Nope it wasn't plastic)! And the attainment of the hawksbill turtle shell items is every bit as brutal, if not more so than this shark finning. They don't eat the hawksbill meat either so it is similar to this shark finning.

 

Just to note we need to stop this shark finning but also not lose sight of and stand up against the sale of endangered animal parts in these locations we dive. I took some action on this back in 2004 - I don't know how many hawksbill turtle shell items are still being sold in Palau. I assume they are still being sold in the gift shops in Koror, but if they are still being sold in the airport gift shop........ I'll just..........., well that's why I haven't been back to Palau.

 

Does any restaurant in Palau sell shark fin soup? That would be a place to make a statement?

 

Yes, we need to do more.

 

Thanks for posting CamDiver and good luck on your new adventure!!!!!!

 

Best, Carol

Well said Carol,

If I had seen a boat landing 50 Hawksbills believe me, I would have posted that too.

 

All commercial ventures that exploit and threaten the fragility of a species mere existence, in my book, need a swift kick in the plums.

 

Unfortunately there are still the Turtle Shell sellers at the airport and in town. There are no restaurants that sell shark fin soup but there are a couple of places here selling shark cartilage! We also have a couple of noted movements trying to raise awareness for sharks etc The Micronesian Shark Foundation and the Palau Shark Sanctuary. Whilst they endeavor to protect sharks etc there are also a couple of movements here that are highlighting the plight of many other exploited marine species.

 

Let's hope their work can effect change eh?

 

Cheers,

Mark.

Mark,

Here is a press release on the situation:

 

Palau charges Taiwanese over illegal shark fishing

Posted at 01:36 on 24 August, 2007 UTC

 

The owners of a Taiwanese fishing vessel caught with shark fins in Palau have been charged with 30 counts in the Supreme Court of Palau.

 

The captain and the tuna fishing boat’s representative in Palau have also been charged.

 

The charges include shark fishing, mutilating sharks, the use of steel leaders, maintaining an erroneous fishing log, fishing without permit, and failing to operate the vessel monitoring system.

 

The Taiwanese boat was located in Palau’s economic zone last week with a cargo of 94 shark carcasses, 11 shark heads and 650 shark fins.

 

The captain is also being charged with attempted bribery after allegedly offering money to a marine law enforcement official after the sharks were found in the ship’s hold.

 

The Palau Attorney General is calling for the forfeiture of the vessel, its cargo and equipment

 

Source

Radio New Zealand International

Press Release

Mess with someone's rice bowl then hell hath no fury. At least they burn them in Palau. The Natal Sharks Board actually sells the fins they catch in the nets.

Looks like Operation Rai-Balang is a success, although I'm sure it'll be seen as the FSM trying to wrangle money from anything.

......although I'm sure it'll be seen as the FSM trying to wrangle money from anything.

And why not? Everyone should applaud when illegal fishermen are caught red handed. I don't think that anyone will see this as an opportunity for the FSM to "turn a buck", if they do then they are as perverse as the fisheries driving these criminals. Most mature people when seeing this will realize that the perpetrators have been caught and fittingly fined for their disgusting crime. If we only had more resources out here I'm sure we'd see the big picture.

 

Whilst this operation was a joint effort normally the Republic of Palau has only one patrol boat to police a 200m EEZ. Proverbial needle in a haystack scenario.

 

Mark.

Here's an update on the shark fin situation in Palau. Looks like the same company Mark sent photos of earlier has been deep into illegal shark fin trade. How much more finning can Palau sustain before its already depleted waters are empty of sharks?

 

Raid in Palau finds Taiwanese fishing company with huge haul of illegal shark fins

A raid on one of Palau’s largest foreign fishing companies has uncovered over 1,000 pounds of shark fins and crocodile meat.

 

The search was carried out at the facilities of Palau Marine Industries Corporation or PMIC.

 

The illegal items were frozen and wrapped in plastic bags and stored in a large container for possible shipping. PMIC, a Taiwan fishing firm, is the same company that was found guilty of major tax evasion charges, involving 5.8 million US dollars.

 

PMIC is one of the three major fish exporting companies in Palau along with Kuniyoshi Fishing Company and Palau Marine Industries Corporation or PITI. PITI was the subject of an August 15 Marine Law Enforcement seizure of 94 shark carcasses, 10 shark heads and 650 shark fins.

 

http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=35140