70 to 130 female thresher sharks killed every day @ Nusa Penida, Bali

[Bali Diver]

Hi Everyone,

This arcticle was written by one of our instructors.
We have spent the last 2 1/2 months in meetings and emailing NGOs , government dept's and dive centers about the threshers.
We have a lot of info that was not included in the article.
We have a petition that will be released very shortly both online and at dive centers and interested businesses here on Bali. Basically we are waiting to hear from large NGO's if they want their logo on the petition or not.
Our aims and purpose will be on the petition.

A similar petition in Raja Empat has already resulted in a shark sanctuary there, so we are hopeful with your help we can do the same in Bali.

"Sandy Rose"

At least something is being done and should and all Dive Op's around Bali should be supportive with you.It really has made me feel so sad this week that there is a Shark finning industry in Bali and as well as the slaughter of Thresher sharks and worse that i have been told that both theses have been going on for some years.

Also that not far from Tulamben there is some line fishing going on after sharks.

I have sent and will be sending more to everyone i know in Bali and Indo with xmas greetings and P.S about this and was sent this comment which made things worse.


Indonesia has the highest elasmobranch diversity of any country with approximately 140 shark and ray species identified. Unfortunately, it also has the world’s largest shark fishery with an estimated 200 thousand tonnes of shark caught each year (Finning and long-lining). Much of this catch is exported to the markets of China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Companies selling shark fins are common on Lombok and neighboring islands with much of their product passing through Bali on its way to the aforementioned countries. Sharks Fin Soup can also be readily bought at restaurants in Bali and throughout Indonesia.

With such a wealth of biodiversity at its disposal and an opportunity to lead the way in marine conservation, the Indonesian government is doing little to prevent this unsustainable trade. At Jakarta airport shark fin is on sale to passengers doing little to support what is becoming an increasingly desperate situation.


I wonder if board member Buiszie over on Lombok has any information about this

 

[gee13]

Shocking and a disgrace and the diving business aware and just standing by is worse.

On what basis are you inferring? Can you point out your evidence for this statement? I would be loathe to think that notable operators on Lembongan or in Bali would sit back on this.

I will not be going back to Nusa,while this is going on and i am sure others i know will not also.

I do not think planned boycotts would have a positive effect on bringing about change... Instead, creation of a working model of Marine Parks and enforcing those boundaries / effectively managing this system, along with positive local operator along with international diver support and lobbying will go further to ensure future thresher stocks are not drained to extinction levels in this area.

 

[Bali Diver]

On what basis are you inferring? Can you point out your evidence for this statement? I would be loathe to think that notable operators on Lembongan or in Bali would sit back on this.

It was so sad to hear about the Threshers this week and finding out more info and the fact in bali a shark finning industry and the fact that being in this area so much had never heard of this.

The sad fact is the annual Thresher catch has been going on for years as also Bali shark finning and it looks like this article has now brought it to light and hope that with thanks to DIVE TULAMBEN they can with the help of support of OP'S in the area and us divers who also care in stopping this and other shark killing in the area or other solutions

Also so make things more sad regarding the Threshers is the large amounts of female's,not only that but carrying their unborn pup's also and makes me wonder if they come to this area at this time of year to have them born,if so that would make things even more sad.

 

[Divedoggie]

The right people need to spearhead projects like this, and those people are very difficult to find. It would be a labor of love, and a lifetime of work. It can be done. Look at the model provided by Wakatobi.

It is a difficult battle. To the fishermen, it is a matter of survival. It is also a matter of ignorance brought about by tradition and cultural and religious differences. It is nearly impossible to "teach" someone that their gods will not replenish the waters, that the tradition of his father, grandfather, great grandfather.. for the last 1000 years, is damaging their future.

The local fishermen need to have direct and immediate reward for refraining from some of the damaging practices that they have come to use.
The fishermen and their boats should be contracted by the dive ops, and touring companies to take divers and tourists out onto the water.
Any funding and compensation for not overfishing, dynamiting, walking on reefs during low tide, shark finning, etc., needs to go directly into the fisherman's hands. Resorts and dive ops need to hire the families of the displaced fishermen to work at/for the resorts. Motorbikes, electricity, water treatment, food, whatever, could be traded in kind for fishermen refraining from going anywhere near certain agreed apon reefs.
Gentlemen's agreements done with honesty and sincerity will go a long way. In time the fishermen will reap the benefits of untouched reefs, when the mature fish move off of the protected reefs and on to other reefs and deeper waters.

The tourist tax for for hotels and services in Bali is 21%, but as I understand it, that money goes to Jakarta and is redistributed from there. As others have stated in this thread, the money needs to go to the people who are effected by policy change. Even in national parks where dynamite fishing is illegal, it is still commonly done. There are no rangers patrolling the waters, and when the dive boats and tourists retreat at the end of the day, the bombs come out, with no consequences.

I wish that I could put energy into this project, but being half a world way, I can only wish those of you who are getting involved and working toward answers, the best of luck and encouragement.

 

[Dave.Dives]

Hey Team, Indonesia is the big one to tackle on shark finning!

Its a basket case of a country; incredibly corrupt, so wealthy at the top, and so f''''n poor at the bottom - it makes you sick people can do this to their brothers and sisters. Marine Park policing is almost non existent, fish bombing and cyanide fishing are rife - but things can change! Have too change!

I see the Gillie Islands off Lombok have become a marine park, I spent a few months there almost twenty years ago and you could hear the bombs all night long, way back then. I saw my first huge Maori Wrasse (3m+ no kidding it was massive), and started lecturing (nicely) the tourists in the dive shop restaurants about where they thought the fish they were eating for lunch and dinner came from - Gillies was very remote back then and all restaurant fish was caught off the local dive sites these muppet's had paid to come and dive......go figure?

Anyway it had a life changing effect on me, as I am still at it twenty years later, based in Borneo now, on Ceil VI my research yacht, and trying to do what we can for the marine environment around here - Malaysian Borneo and the Southern Philippines. I have emailed "Dive Tulamban's" contact details to a marine scientist friend of mine in the region and hopefully he can help get them plugged across the grid, to start putting real pressure on the powers that be.

So, Ask yourself. What do we do when we are facing impossible corruption, ignorant locals, dangerous shark fin kings? Do we say "its all to hard" and go home, or do we dig in and give as good as we get! "Start digging and you will help make a difference"!

P.S hope Mossman stays of this shark thread...lol.
Cheers Dave

 

[Bali Diver]

Sharks control two thirds of our planet and does not destroy the remaining third.Mankind controls one third of our planet and is destroying the other two thirds of our planet.

Changes are already happening in our oceans due to the depletion of sharks and as time goes by more changes will be more evident,until such time it will be totally too late to act and in future generations they will look back and think how barbaric and ignorant mankind was.

 

[xariatay]

"Update" from Asia News Network 28.12.2011 Shark hunting at
Originally from the Jakarta Post Shark hunting at[h=2]Shark hunting at ‘alarming rate’[/h]Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar | Wed, 12/28/2011 8:46 AM


Looking forward to the petition by Thresher Shark Bali...

 

[xariatay]

Duplicated!