Lately we all heard of Western Australia's controversial
shark cull policy, supposedly intended to save lives and help the tourism industry. So how is Hawaii dealing with the sharks that frequent the waters surrounding the islands? Are they using a similar approach?
Shark Diving, swimming with sharks, cage diving, shark research, diving with Great white sharks, are specialties of Shark Diver
Hmmm, not quite! Their approach is a tiny bit different, instead of culling sharks they are considering penalties for harming sharks! You can read the full text of the proposed
bill here.
Since this bill has not been passed yet, they need your help. You can tell them why you support the bill here, OMHTestimony@capitol.hawaii.govEco tourism, Isla Guadalupe, Tiger Sharks, Galapagos Island, Whale sharks
The reasons mentioned, for wanting to implement penalties for harming sharks are,
SECTION 1.
The legislature finds that sharks and rays are extremely important to
ocean ecosystems. As ocean predators towards the top of the food chain,
sharks and rays keep the ecosystem balanced, regulate populations of
other marine life, and ensure healthy fish stock and reefs.
Sharks and
rays are more vulnerable to fishing pressures than most other fish
species. They are long-lived, slow-growing, start reproducing at an
advanced age, and produce relatively few offspring per year. If
over-fished, these populations take a long time to recover. If the food
chain is disrupted by a decline in the shark population, it affects the
entire reef system. Protection for sharks and rays ultimately means
healthier, more resilient oceans and reefs that are better able to
withstand other pressures on the ocean ecosystem from climate change and
pollution.
Sharks and
rays on the reefs not only play important ecological roles but are also
valued figures in Hawaiian culture and are important economically to
ocean recreation industries and to tourism in Hawaii. The benefits of
maintaining viable populations greatly outweigh any value that would be
gained by killing these species.
The purpose
of this Act is to protect these species for ecological purposes, for
their value to the ocean recreation industry and to native Hawaiian
cultural practices, and to establish fines and penalties for knowingly
harming, killing, or capturing sharks or rays within state waters.
Again, it's important to note, that this is only a proposed bill and has not been passed yet. Don't forget to support the bill by sending your comments to
OMHTestimony@capitol.hawaii.gov
Let's help those legislators who are fighting for our oceans and all the creatures living in it!
Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO
Shark Diver
About Shark Diver.
As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at
staff@sharkdiver.com
