KOTA KINABALU – Sharks and rays in Sabah are at risk of extinction if they are not afforded better protection as most are accidentally caught in non-selective trawl nets.
According to the Marine Research Foundation, which is based here, some 713 tonnes of sharks and 1,991 tonnes of rays were “landed” in 2021 in the state, while an estimated 148,000 of them are caught by trawl vessels in a year.
“Due to the non-selective nature of trawl fishing, fishermen do not distinguish what to catch and what not to catch.
“This estimate does not include landings due to being caught by other fishing gear, such as the ubiquitous gillnets used by traditional fishers, longlines, and purse seine vessels.”
The foundation said in a statement that sharks and rays are not targeted, but there are few efforts to protect them from getting caught up in commercial fishing.
Foundation executive director Nicolas Pilcher stressed the importance of addressing the accidental catch of these marine animals without affecting the livelihood of fishermen.
“Sustainable fisheries management practices such as time-area closures (closing certain spaces for a short period) and gear restrictions (limiting the types of gear used in important shark areas) are two such measures that could reduce accidental catches,” he said.
Sabah dive tourism ambassador Clement Lee said sharks and rays are more valuable alive as they draw local and international scuba divers.
“Sabah dive tourism receipts ranged from RM450 million to RM800 million annually in the last few years in Sabah, and sharks are one of the main contributors to this. You take sharks out of the water, you take a big chunk out of dive tourism receipts.”
Meanwhile, Friends of Sea Turtles Education & Research president Alexander Yee said there needs to be a balance between the local diet of shark meat and conservation efforts.
On March 30, divers shared photos of what they claimed to be shark meat sold openly at a local market here. – The Vibes, April 8, 2023
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