As posted on the front page the Bahamas is on the process of enacting legislation that will protect it's sharks from commercial exploitation.
Pew environmental group has reported today that this legislation has now been signed into law, and is further reaching than was expected.
"Sharks in The Bahamas can breathe more easily after the nation’s government announced today that all commercial shark fishing in the approximately 630,000 square kilometers (243,244 square miles) of the country’s waters is now prohibited."
This is great news for sharks and shows just how forward thinking the Bahamian government is being in it's environmental policies.
I think I am going to have at least one beer to celebrate!
Adam
Yes, worth celebrating! Especially for a place that draws so many divers to its shores to see its sharks!
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/...-shark-fishing/ "While the country banned long-line fishing gear 20 years ago in another boon to shark populations, said Eric Carey, executive director of the Bahamas National Trust, ‘‘there were no specific laws in the Bahamas for sharks, the crown jewels of ocean health.’’
Yes indeed FANTASTIC news!!!!
Go Bahamas!
I like this trend. Honduras made a similar declaration a week or two back also. I had a chance to shoot a captive nurse shark release with the Honduran president in conjunction with their announcement. Now it comes down to policing I guess.
Yes, worth celebrating! Especially for a place that draws so many divers to its shores to see its sharks!
