Shark finning in Sipadan/Mabul area
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OnTheSpot
Contributor
Ok, thanks to divers voicing out it's been picked up in the national and local media.
Julia Chan from national daily New Straits Times wrote this article.
Which obviously made local authorities sit up and take notice, because local daily Daily Express published this article.
They promise action, which if implement would make a difference.
But MCK is right - the people demanding these products are the culprits, and if anyone needs to be educated, it's the people who eat shark fins soup.
Julia Chan from national daily New Straits Times wrote this article.
Which obviously made local authorities sit up and take notice, because local daily Daily Express published this article.
They promise action, which if implement would make a difference.
But MCK is right - the people demanding these products are the culprits, and if anyone needs to be educated, it's the people who eat shark fins soup.
I was ready to book Mabul next summer but now i don't think i'm in the mood.From what i see here maby Sipadan isn't the same place as it was years ago.
I also know that if i see any shark fins in the local market i'll spent my holidays in the jail.
I also know that if i see any shark fins in the local market i'll spent my holidays in the jail.
Education might be the way forward but I think it'll be a slow process. People here tend to stick to tradition and old remedies. Example being the use of dried sea horses in chinese medicine. Every chinese wedding dinner I've been to served shark fin soup with the exception of my sister and my good friend. My friend's dinner still served the broth but without the fins and he made it a point to tell his guests that there was no shark fin in the broth. My girlfriend and I always don't eat the shark fin soup but of course this doesn't stop everyone else and our bowls of broth are almost always consumed by other people at the table.
However, I'm hearing of the sharks fin being substituted with something else these days. Anyone can confirm this?
Boycotting isn't the answer. At Mabul, it's the sea gypsies taking the sharks. There's demand for sharks' fins and therefore, money to be made. It's nothing to do with the resorts. I've observed the sea gypsies and I don't think there's any of the fairy tale knowledge and care passed from generation to generation about how the sea gives them a living and they must take care of it BS. Ideally I wish the proper authorities would educate and enforce but I'm not holding my breath. My impression of the authorities is one of incompetence, corruption and ignorance. That's just an impression. Someone tell me I'm wrong.
Don't get the wrong idea. The sea gypsies aren't evil one-eyed monsters with a limp. They're lovely simple uncomplicated people getting on with their lives and making a life on the sea.
There is a slogan, "If the buying stops, the killing can too." It's a simple truth but one that, at this time, sounds so thin.
However, I'm hearing of the sharks fin being substituted with something else these days. Anyone can confirm this?
Boycotting isn't the answer. At Mabul, it's the sea gypsies taking the sharks. There's demand for sharks' fins and therefore, money to be made. It's nothing to do with the resorts. I've observed the sea gypsies and I don't think there's any of the fairy tale knowledge and care passed from generation to generation about how the sea gives them a living and they must take care of it BS. Ideally I wish the proper authorities would educate and enforce but I'm not holding my breath. My impression of the authorities is one of incompetence, corruption and ignorance. That's just an impression. Someone tell me I'm wrong.
Don't get the wrong idea. The sea gypsies aren't evil one-eyed monsters with a limp. They're lovely simple uncomplicated people getting on with their lives and making a life on the sea.
There is a slogan, "If the buying stops, the killing can too." It's a simple truth but one that, at this time, sounds so thin.
Here is a good example from Maldives.I'm sure they can do the same in Malaysia.CDNN :: Maldives Ban Reef Shark Fishing
World Wide Diver
Contributor
Boycotting the area is not the right way, as I'm sure that all dive operators do good work to protect shark and rays in their areas.
What the Director of Fisheries, Sabah, Malaysia must do is to stop this from happening in all areas - not just touristic places. Many species of shark - for example thresher - are pelagic and will travel to areas such as Sipadan for cleaning, feeding, etc.
Just protecting these areas is not going to help a great deal.
I suggest that dive operators and divers in Malaysia lobby the Gvt to pass an order protecting all shark and ray in their waters. There must be hefty fines and/or imprisonment for offenders.
You might be interested to know that there is an Executive Order waiting to be signed by President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines to protect all shark and ray in Philippine waters.
I only wish that ASEAN nations would take a more coordinated approach to this so as to more effectively police the sea and deal with illegal poachers. As said already, it is mainly the Taiwanese that are causing the biggest harm using long-lines to target shark. A Taiwanese long-liner can virtually empty a large area of shark in just a couple of weeks.
All the best to you all in Malaysia.
PS - Hoping to travel there next week from Mindanao (via Jolo, Basilan, etc:cool2
.
What the Director of Fisheries, Sabah, Malaysia must do is to stop this from happening in all areas - not just touristic places. Many species of shark - for example thresher - are pelagic and will travel to areas such as Sipadan for cleaning, feeding, etc.
Just protecting these areas is not going to help a great deal.
I suggest that dive operators and divers in Malaysia lobby the Gvt to pass an order protecting all shark and ray in their waters. There must be hefty fines and/or imprisonment for offenders.
You might be interested to know that there is an Executive Order waiting to be signed by President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines to protect all shark and ray in Philippine waters.
I only wish that ASEAN nations would take a more coordinated approach to this so as to more effectively police the sea and deal with illegal poachers. As said already, it is mainly the Taiwanese that are causing the biggest harm using long-lines to target shark. A Taiwanese long-liner can virtually empty a large area of shark in just a couple of weeks.
All the best to you all in Malaysia.
PS - Hoping to travel there next week from Mindanao (via Jolo, Basilan, etc:cool2
.
Gen San Chris
Contributor
Hi WWD, doing that trip might just get you finned!
World Wide Diver
Contributor
Hi Chris. Yes -will be interesting to check out the Phillipine/Malaysian tourist bridge and what the logistics are. :signofcross:
Not sure whether we ought to take 'tea and scones' out on the poop deck when we are docked in Basilan and Jolo though!
Got a nice overnighter in Bongao on the way back. Might be a chance to go for a beer with the locals - not!!!.:hiding:
Looking forward to checking out Sipadan (if possible to dive there).
Good to see shark (with fins) there:blinking: Hope they are as friendly as the greys near Gensan!
Will drop you a line with our travel plans later (you being the Warden an all
).
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