07/12/2007

Educate fishermen on `unusual catches'

WWF-Malaysia deeply regrets the process leading to the capture andcallous piecemeal sale of the giant whale shark that was netted by afishing trawler off Bagan Sungai Tiang, Bagan Datoh, on Sunday.

This happened just when the global media was celebrating the spottingof the 1,000th member of this species off the coast of Mozambique in lateNovember. According to the story carried by the local print media, the fishermeninvolved had indicated a similar capture "some time back".

It is time forthe Department of Fisheries to take a greater proactive role in educatingcoastal populations, and fishermen in particular, on the dos and don'tsof dealing with "unusual catches".

Conservation education in these circumstances can start with thegreater dissemination of a pictorial list of species consideredvulnerable and endangered by the World Conservation Union, particularlythe ones known to swim in and around Malaysian waters.

Otherwise, the passive atmosphere at the Hutan Melintang jetty, wherethe whale shark elicited more curiosity than sympathy, and the subsequentsale of the whale shark's body parts will continue to our collectiveshame.

Whale sharks (Rhinocodon typus) are a protected species under theFisheries Act of 1985 through the Fisheries (Control of EndangeredSpecies of Fish) Regulation 1999.

Under the law, no one can harass, catch, kill, take, possess, sell,buy, export or transport whale sharks unless with express permission. Ifa whale shark is caught accidentally during a fishing expedition, it mustbe released immediately If the shark is dead, the catching/taking of the fish must be reportedto a Department of Fisheries officer and it can only be disposed of inaccordance with his or her instructions.

Failure to comply is an offence.Such laws, along with an appropriate awareness campaign, need to beenforced to prevent a shocking repeat of this incident. DIONYSIUS S. K. SHARMA for WWF-Malaysia Petaling Jaya