A popular tourist destination has turned heads with the controversial decision to reverse a sweeping ban on shark fishing.
What’s happening?
The Maldives is lifting its 15-year shark-fishing ban, which was implemented in 2010 to protect declining shark populations and boost the vital shark-diving tourism industry. The country had first placed restrictions on shark fishing in 1998 before opting to enact the sweeping ban.
As reported by Le Monde, the government announced the removal of the ban in August, allowing for a specific fishery targeting endangered gulper sharks. Mohamed Muizzu, president of the Maldives, acknowledged that the fishery was once “a significant source of income.” The gulper shark fishery will reopen in November under what is described as a “comprehensive management plan.”
Gulper shark oil is considered a valuable oil that is harvested from the large livers of gulper sharks. The species has long been prized for its high concentration of a compound known as squalene. The compound is a key ingredient in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and dietary supplements.
Why is the reversal of the shark-fishing ban important?
Due to its perceived high value, gulper shark oil has often driven an unsustainable fishing trade that threatens the gulper shark population. In many cases, gulper shark fishing operations are unregulated and can result in problematic harvesting that can lead to severe damage to vulnerable marine ecosystems.
The decision to lift the ban has drawn sharp criticism from a number of conservationists and animal rights groups. This includes Shark Guardian, a U.K.-based charity that promotes shark and marine conservation projects worldwide.
A representative for Shark Guardian explained the significance of the policy reversal. “This move is deeply troubling, not only because it undermines the Maldives’ reputation as a global shark sanctuary but also because it risks the long-term health of the nation’s tourism-dependent economy,” the representative said.
What’s being done about protecting the gulper shark?
Gulper sharks have 15 known species in the deep-sea waters around the world. Due to their significantly low reproduction rates, gulper sharks can be susceptible to steep and rapid population decline, especially when faced with large-scale fishing operations.
According to a recent study, as companies continue to target gulper sharks for their valuable livers, many of their species are facing the increasing threat of extinction. Dr. Brit Finucci, fisheries scientist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research and co-author of the study, explained that this threat to the gulper shark has largely been ignored.
“In some ways, some deepwater sharks are more similar to marine mammals in terms of their limited ability to withstand and recover from exploitation,” Finucci told Traffic. “However, many marine mammals have now been protected for years, if not decades, while deepwater sharks remain largely unprotected.”
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