Crackdown on illegal shark fishing in Dubai

Posting on their Facebook Page on Wednesday, Dubai Municipality have reported that the Environment Department have confiscated a large number of sharks from Deira fish market. The sharks had been landed at a time of the year when shark fishing is not permitted in the UAE and the photos showed the fins had been removed from the carcasses - something which is also illegal in the UAE.

Sharks which had been illegally landed at Deira fish market. Photo credit: Dubai Municipality

According to Ministerial Decree No. 500 - which came into effect on the 1st September 2014 - registered fishermen may only fish for sharks between the 1st of July to the end of January the following year; in addition to this the Government has put in place further restrictions on shark fishing  in the waters around the UAE. Fishermen may only use circle hooks to catch sharks; circle hooks have been proven to be more humane than J hooks (See The Shark Post: Researchers in Brazil find new techniques to improve the survival rate of tiger sharks caught in longline fisheries). The decree also forbids the taking of shark and manta species listed in CITES appendix I and II and enforces a 5 mile exclusion zone around the mainland. More importantly, the UAE Government has addressed the issue of shark finning by making it illegal to catch sharks solely for their fins. In addition to this sharks must be brought to land whole, preventing the removal of fins at sea.

Evidence that the Dubai Government is enforcing these laws and issuing heavy penalties to the violators is good news as it shows their commitment to protecting the fish species in their waters.

Shark News: Shark finning banned in New Zealand waters!

Yesterday the New Zealand Government announced plans to ban shark finning, ensure the long-term sustainability of their shark populations and promote shark research and community engagement.

The National Plan of Action for Sharks (NPOA-Sharks) was announced by Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith. With this, the New Zealand Government has pledged to eliminate shark finning (where the fins are removed and the carcass is disposed of at sea) in it's fisheries by 1st October 2015 with the exception of the highly migratory blue shark (Prionace glauca) which will come under the act by 1st October 2016. The elimination of finning for all other species will occur in 2 waves, with an initial group of sharks being protected by 1st October 2014, and the remainder gaining protection in 2015.

Seven species of shark are currently protected in New Zealand waters, including the great white (Carcharodon carcharias) and the whale shark (Rhincodon typus). Of the remaining 70+ species which have been reported to have been caught by fisheries in New Zealand, 11 species account for 90% of the total catch. These include the spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) and the blue shark (P. glauca). Whilst it is currently an offence to remove the fins from a shark and return the live shark to the sea, the new policy will ban the practice of killing the shark, removing the fins and disposing of the carcass at sea - for any shark killed the entire carcass must be landed.

As well as including cultural involvement with the Maori and recognising the importance of sharks in marine ecosystems, the NPOA-Sharks also emphasises the importance of New Zealand being perceived as having sustainably managed shark fisheries among the international community. This indicates that the recent increase in public awareness of the plight of sharks and high profile media attention which sharks have been receiving of late could be having a positive effect on government policy making. In a media release, Dr. Smith commented "“The 45,300 submissions in favour of the proposal to ban finning show New Zealanders’ attitudes to sharks have come a long way since the ‘Jaws’ days. It is now widely recognised that sharks are an important part of the marine ecosystem and that we need to ensure the 113 species of shark in our waters survive."

Whilst some groups have criticized the NPOA-Sharks, stating that October 2015 is a very long deadline, the implementation of this 5 year plan is a positive step from the New Zealand Government towards ensuring the sustainability of their shark populations and sending a message to the international community that finning is not a practice to be tolerated.