WildAid, a US charity promoting the protection of endangered wildlife, yesterday called upon Taiwan to introduce sustainable management of shark populations. Taiwan is one of the most significant traders and consumers of shark fins worldwide, according to WildAid.
The call was made at a joint event in conjunction with the Jane Goodall Institute.
TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
Two years of research by WildAid indicates that many shark species are facing extinction. It blames overfishing and the globalization of the trade in shark fins.
Some shark populations have declined by 90 percent in the last 15 years, said Peter Knights, executive director of WildAid.
The UN Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that 100 million sharks and shark-like fish are caught each year.
"There are even illegal shark fisheries in the world's protected marine areas to meet the massive demand for shark fins, while the stocks legally available are declining," Knights said.
The organization's report shows that shark stocks have dwindled, while the average size of those caught has declined.
Knights and the president of the Jane Goodall Institute in Taiwan, independent Legislator Eugene Jao (
The WildAid report says that shark fin consumption started in southern China and that the Chinese people regard shark fin as a symbol of wealth because it used to be affordable only by the rich.
Knights said that greater affluence had boosted the demand for shark fins. He said he was calling for better shark fishery management in Taiwan because the country is currently the most important trader in shark fin meat after Singapore and Hong Kong. Sixty-nine percent of people in Taiwan surveyed last year by WildAid said they would be willing to pay US$100 for a serving of shark fin soup.
Because the fins are the most profitable part of the shark nowadays, finning -- taking only the shark's fins while discarding its body in the sea -- is happening more frequently, which conservationists say is a significant waste of resources.
Research shows that Taiwan does not conduct finning near its own shores, but Taiwanese vessels, according to Knights, have been found doing so off Costa Rica and Brazil, for whose residents shark meat is an important source of protein.
Knights therefore urged the government to ban finning. Taiwan's fishery department, however, said it was awaiting information from fishermen to understand which shark species are endangered. It said that preparation for a survey was initiated six years ago.
"But the government should take precautions right away by setting quotas at least for whale sharks rather than awaiting more data," Knights said. Whale sharks are one of the most commonly eaten species in Taiwan. He added that there is no need to wait for precise local data because the decline of shark populations has been proven to be drastic by global evidence. "You can always change the quota afterwards," he said.
He also appealed to the public to reduce the demand for shark fin meat. "Consumers should not associate eating shark fin soup with a declaration of wealth. It is no longer a special thing for the rich," he said.
Challenged during its press conference by opposition from local fishermen, WildAid emphasized that it is not promoting a blanket ban of shark fishing, but is calling for proper conservation, which will ensure the sustainability of shark populations globally.
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