Shark Fishing Ban: a step forward

Last week the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture has banned shark fishing in all Atolls of Maldives. The range extends to 12 nautical miles from the rim of each atoll. This step was taken so as to protect the reef shark stock of the country which has now declined to a serious level.

Right now the fisheries ministry is working to ban oceanic shark fisheries as well and to put a total ban on export of shark products. So most probably within a year this would happen.

It has taken years to bring about this change and it would not have happened if not for the dedication of a lot of people in various sectors.

Right now the major concern is to enforce these regulations.

For more information check out

http://www.minivannews.com/news_detail.php?id=6096

picture taken at a local island

all species of sharks are fished

shark meat drying in the sun

whale shark researchers and dive staff of Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru...

...hitches rides and harrases these animals. site: Baa Atoll Hanfiaru.

whale shark with its dorsal fin nearly cut off. taken at South Ari Atoll.

they mean no harm to the sharks!?!

“Nothing that will damage the environment is going to happen there. There is no chance” said the son of the developer of Baa Atoll Hanifaru. According to him there is not going to be any platforms for the sea planes to land. And the island isn’t going to be developed for agriculture. Three greenhouses that uses hydroponics is going to be built there plus a beach house.

Developers are known for plundering the natural environment of the places they are constructing. So we should all keep an eye what happens and is going to happen at that place. Just in case…

For those of you who have no idea where Hanifaru is and what we are talking about please check out

http://www.bluepeacemaldives.org/blog/?p=65

photoz 0008

yellow explosion

close observation

red against the blue

significance

co-existence

Photoz 0007

"let there be light"

Slaughtering of the Sharks

A picture is worth a thousand words. A few thousand worth of stuff is down below. See for yourself! LOCATION: H.dh Kulhudhufushi.

a few questions come into my mind

• is it really worth catching all these sharks?
• what kind of affect has it already created in the environment?
• what kind of impact does it have on other fisheries and tourism?
• how many sharks is caught per year?
• who is behind all this?
• who is looking our for all of this? where are all the laws to stop this?
• what can be done?
• is it too late?

Many thanks to the photographer who photgraphed all of this!

SHARK WATER

This movie sets out to show the world the truth about the sharks.
See for yourself!

International Year of the Reef 2008

The ICRI International Year of the Reef 2008 is a worldwide campaign to raise awareness about the value and importance of coral reefs and threats to their sustainability, and to motivate people to take action to protect them. All individuals, corporations, schools, governments, and organizations are welcome and actively encouraged to participate in IYOR 2008. [More]

taken from http://www.iyor.org/