Sharks and Dynamite fishing rant...

[Zeeman]

I went on a fantastic dive this morning to a site in Sydney, I saw a whole heap of Grey Nurse Sharks/Sand Tigers/Ragged Tooth Shark... link...

On the boat trip back, the boat captain was telling me about how some fisherman dynamite fish in the area these sharks live in. Bearing in mind, this is an endangered species here in Australia, with an estimated 500 specimens left on the east coast. thus, their habitat, as you can imagine, is protected.

So, why, I hear you ask, do the fisherman dynamite fish in this particular area? Well, if the endangered species of shark is gone, then there is no need for the area they live in to be a protected area.. Thus they can fish there. How big is this area? about 500 metres of coastline at the southern end of one beach in Sydney. that's it's it...

I can't believe there are people this stupid in the world. I encountered dynamite fishing in the Philippines, and whilst I don't agree with it, at least the people doing it are doing it to make a living... These guys in Sydney are doing it to give them another 500 odd metres of coast to fish. Some people really need to be taken out of the gene pool...

Z...

 

[_Bella_]

I would think using dynamite for anything without a permit would be illegal, being as you roos are living in a semi-civilized country . Why aren't they reported to the coastal authorities, beach patrol, greenpeace, whoever has the power to do something.

 

[Zeeman]

Hard to prove, and not really on the top of the priority list for the local law enforcement officers. ie. there is no money in it for the governements coffers..

Z...

 

[lai_rallos]

even if people here in the Philippines are doing it for a living, still they shouldn't do dynamite fishing...it saddens me also...i just hope they'll have a win-win agreement with the government...but reality bites!

-lai-

 

[Narcd_dvr]

I agree. In Cebu a Bantay Dagat (Ocean Watch) official was murdered, http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ce....planned.for.slain.bantay.dagat.director.html , very tragic. This official was trying to prevent commercial fishing from happening in the Visayas sea, and enforcing no dynamite and cyanide fishing. These folks have the thankless job of protecting the reefs in the Philippines and while threats are made against their lives.
Yes, these people destroying our reefs need to be taken out of the gene pool.