Sharks bring in the tourists

SHARK hunting and finning activities in Sabah is one of the subjects I am immensely concerned about. The more I hear about this, the more convinced I am that these activities should be banned due to economic, sustainability and humane reasons.

It is estimated that the shark population has declined by 80% over the past three decades.

Sharks as predators at the top of the marine food pyramid, play a critical role in balancing the ocean ecosystem. It would be ecologically and economically damaging when sharks are removed from the ecosystem through over-fishing or killing of sharks.

According to marine and shark conservationists, the rare Borneo river shark and Roughnose stingray, which are only found in Borneo waters, could be on the verge of extinction.

Sharks form a significant part of Sabah’s RM354mil dive industry. Each year, local and international tourists and divers go to islands in Sabah to see the wonders of marine treasures including the rare and endangered sharks.

A study by the Australian Institute of Marine Science a few years ago, valued a single living shark in Sabah’s waters at US$815,000 in terms of tourism revenue to the state, compared with US$100 for its fins.

The Government also has to consider the humane reason. Finning involves the hacking off the shark’s fins and throwing its still living body back into the sea.

Globally, tens of millions of sharks die a slow death because of finning. Therefore, Malaysia has to tighten the regulations on the killing of wildlife. In the case of Sabah, it is time to amend the Fisheries Act to have a provision that prohibits shark hunting and finning.

If necessary, the Government should introduce a new law to guarantee the protection of the endangered sharks.

We have to act now or else, our future generations will be affected by an unsustainable ecosystem due to over-fishing and finning of the sharks as well as unsustainable development.

TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE

Kuala Lumpur