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Is anyone familiar with "... rusty bars and acoustic beacons have been cemented into the live coral reefs on nine locations at major dive sites like Blue Corner,Blue Holes, New Drop-off , Siaes and Ulong Channel."
I've booked a trip to Palau for this summer to dive and am inclined to swap to Chuuk or Papau or someplace nearby if there's ongoing work at the major dive sites.
(I'm wholly in favor of marine research and would be delighted to return to Palau after any artificial infrastructure is removed....)
Adachi explains issuance of shark tagging permit
Monday, 16 February 2009 14:27 By Bernadette H. Carreon - Horizon News Staff
KOROR (Palau Horizon) The shark tagging research being conducted ÅØhile creating slight inconveniences will provide long term benefits, Koror State Governor Yositaka Adachi said.
Adachi was responding to the petition earlier signed by over 500 Palauans, tourist divers and people involved in the dive and tour business in Palau asking Koror Stat to revoke the permit allowing shark tagging and order the removal of rebars put up in prime dive sites use to tag sharks.
In a letter to French Honorary Consul Mandy Etpison, Adachi apologized for the inconvenience the research might be causing but asked for understanding regarding the nature and the purpose of the research.
Adachi explained that did issue a permit for the conduct of the research due to the increasing concerns about potential declines in shark populations and the lack of knowledge and understanding about shark migration patterns and ecological matters relating to PalauÃÔ reef shark.
Adachi explained that the research are being conducted at the dive sites because of the number of the greater number of sharks and obtain baseline information to determine whether there is a decrease in shark activity at dive sites.
The Shark tagging project aims to tag 30 grey reef sharks and track their movements.
The project makes use of sonar tags used with acoustic beacons.
These sharks are then ÅÄhummed/baited and caught on hooks and brought up to the surface to be tagged, the petition said.
Etpison meanwhile said that the petition speaks for itself and clearly states its purpose.
Ūt reflects the opinion of the vast majority of the local dive and tour community and BTA members, who signed it and who provide a large part of the Koror State and National income from tourism through their businesses. They have a right to be concerned about this issue, Etpison said.
She added that the people who signed the petition are disappointed with AdachiÃÔ response adding that it would not take too much effort on the Koror StateÃÔ part to move the study elsewhere so as not to interfere with the tourism.
She pointed out that the permitting was done incorrectly and that there is no scientific reason for the tagging to be done in top dive sites.
She also stressed that she I have dived with Grey reef sharks in Palau for 25 years, and they are found on every Palau reef.
ŵhey move away from their regular reef areas during certain times of the year for three main purposes, to mate, to give birth, and to join groups of other reef sharks to hunt seasonal spawning fish aggregations, after which they move back to their regular territory. This has been observed, recorded and photographed in the past by tracking certain individual sharks with distinct markings, Etpison said.
She said that there is more productive way to measure whether Palau has a healthy population of reef sharks at certain spots.
She said there is no need to put cements on the reefs and risk aggressive behavior by tagging sharks at top dive sites.
Adachi in his letter said that tour guides can explain to divers the nature and the purpose of the research.
He also noted that ÅÓebars were set up in past research and they have not received any complaints before.
Etpison however said that previous grouper research done by the Palau International Reef Center (PIRC) was conducted in only one location and did not have long rebar at the main tourist sites.
Adachi further explained in his letter that the ÁÓesearch may help explain why the population of sharks appears to have actually increased at local fishing grounds over the years in substantial numbers and whether or not such aggregation at other locations are due to human impacts such as increased numbers of scuba divers, Adachi said in his letter.
He said Dr. Mark Meekan, and an assistant Warren White from the Australian Institute of Marines Science are conducting the research and that they are available to respond to the concerns raised.
The petition said that rusty bars and acoustic beacons have been cemented into the live coral reefs on nine locations at major dive sites like Blue Corner,Blue Holes, New Drop-off , Siaes and Ulong Channel.
Etpison said ÅÕhat there are still a lot of questions that should be raised in association with Micronesian Shark Foundation (MSF) and their operation, but these are things for the government to look into, and not the purpose of our petition.
I've booked a trip to Palau for this summer to dive and am inclined to swap to Chuuk or Papau or someplace nearby if there's ongoing work at the major dive sites.
(I'm wholly in favor of marine research and would be delighted to return to Palau after any artificial infrastructure is removed....)
Adachi explains issuance of shark tagging permit
Monday, 16 February 2009 14:27 By Bernadette H. Carreon - Horizon News Staff
KOROR (Palau Horizon) The shark tagging research being conducted ÅØhile creating slight inconveniences will provide long term benefits, Koror State Governor Yositaka Adachi said.
Adachi was responding to the petition earlier signed by over 500 Palauans, tourist divers and people involved in the dive and tour business in Palau asking Koror Stat to revoke the permit allowing shark tagging and order the removal of rebars put up in prime dive sites use to tag sharks.
In a letter to French Honorary Consul Mandy Etpison, Adachi apologized for the inconvenience the research might be causing but asked for understanding regarding the nature and the purpose of the research.
Adachi explained that did issue a permit for the conduct of the research due to the increasing concerns about potential declines in shark populations and the lack of knowledge and understanding about shark migration patterns and ecological matters relating to PalauÃÔ reef shark.
Adachi explained that the research are being conducted at the dive sites because of the number of the greater number of sharks and obtain baseline information to determine whether there is a decrease in shark activity at dive sites.
The Shark tagging project aims to tag 30 grey reef sharks and track their movements.
The project makes use of sonar tags used with acoustic beacons.
These sharks are then ÅÄhummed/baited and caught on hooks and brought up to the surface to be tagged, the petition said.
Etpison meanwhile said that the petition speaks for itself and clearly states its purpose.
Ūt reflects the opinion of the vast majority of the local dive and tour community and BTA members, who signed it and who provide a large part of the Koror State and National income from tourism through their businesses. They have a right to be concerned about this issue, Etpison said.
She added that the people who signed the petition are disappointed with AdachiÃÔ response adding that it would not take too much effort on the Koror StateÃÔ part to move the study elsewhere so as not to interfere with the tourism.
She pointed out that the permitting was done incorrectly and that there is no scientific reason for the tagging to be done in top dive sites.
She also stressed that she I have dived with Grey reef sharks in Palau for 25 years, and they are found on every Palau reef.
ŵhey move away from their regular reef areas during certain times of the year for three main purposes, to mate, to give birth, and to join groups of other reef sharks to hunt seasonal spawning fish aggregations, after which they move back to their regular territory. This has been observed, recorded and photographed in the past by tracking certain individual sharks with distinct markings, Etpison said.
She said that there is more productive way to measure whether Palau has a healthy population of reef sharks at certain spots.
She said there is no need to put cements on the reefs and risk aggressive behavior by tagging sharks at top dive sites.
Adachi in his letter said that tour guides can explain to divers the nature and the purpose of the research.
He also noted that ÅÓebars were set up in past research and they have not received any complaints before.
Etpison however said that previous grouper research done by the Palau International Reef Center (PIRC) was conducted in only one location and did not have long rebar at the main tourist sites.
Adachi further explained in his letter that the ÁÓesearch may help explain why the population of sharks appears to have actually increased at local fishing grounds over the years in substantial numbers and whether or not such aggregation at other locations are due to human impacts such as increased numbers of scuba divers, Adachi said in his letter.
He said Dr. Mark Meekan, and an assistant Warren White from the Australian Institute of Marines Science are conducting the research and that they are available to respond to the concerns raised.
The petition said that rusty bars and acoustic beacons have been cemented into the live coral reefs on nine locations at major dive sites like Blue Corner,Blue Holes, New Drop-off , Siaes and Ulong Channel.
Etpison said ÅÕhat there are still a lot of questions that should be raised in association with Micronesian Shark Foundation (MSF) and their operation, but these are things for the government to look into, and not the purpose of our petition.
