In a move to protect the diverse shark species teeming in its waters, India has recently announced it is putting a stop on shark “finning” by imposing regulations that will be strictly implemented against indiscriminate shark hunting just so the fins could be harvested and delivered abroad, particularly in China where shark fins are a vital ingredient to one of its delicacies, shark fin soup.
The move was announced Monday – fishermen who are found to have hauls with detached shark fins will face up to seven years of imprisonment, under the new policy of India’s Environment Ministry, for sporting on endangered species, no matter what kind of sharks were killed for their fins since it is difficult to identify the different types of the fish through the removed appendages.
Declining Shark Population
Deterioration of shark population is not only seen in the seas around India but throughout the world as well. Experts have revealed that they are seeing an abrupt decline in the numbers of the world’s oldest vertebrates; some shark groups’ numbers are now even just 10 percent of their total 30 years ago. The ocean’s top predators are an integral part in keeping water’s ecosystem healthy since they keep fish and turtle populations in check. But with millions caught and killed every year to meet the growing demands for shark fins in the Chinese market, the fishes are facing near extinction and scientists are worried this will have an adverse effect on the ocean’s health.
Shark finning practice involves fishermen hunting sharks, detaching the fins through slicing and throwing the still alive animals back into the sea. These de-finned sharks eventually die a slow death due to starvation since without their fins, they are unable to navigate and hunt. India is the world’s second shark-catching nation with Indonesia topping this list. TRAFFIC, an international agency that monitors wildlife trade, about 20 percent of worldwide shark hunting is accounted to these two countries.
A Thumbs-Up Move
However, with the advent of the new shark hunting policies, India’s Marine Products Export Development Authority declared that despite steady demands from China for shark fins, Indian fishermen only exported $4.8 million worth of the product, the number less than half of 2010’s $11.3 million. “Fishermen are saying the numbers of sharks they’ve been able to catch has definitely come down,” said C. Samyukta of Humane Society International.
The Indian government’s move to put a halt on excessive shark hunting has also earned approval from global conservationists. They said the current laws might just be the key needed to put an end to a barbarous practice that will, in a short time, wipe out these glorious creatures from the face of the earth. “Given the perilous status of many shark species, we urge the state governments to act quickly and work to enforce the policy,” Belinda Wright of the Wildlife Protection Society of India stated.
Fallout from the MTV VMAs
Entertainment World Can’t Get Over Miley!
-
Pakistan’s Political Landscape Suffers a Shift Following Khan’s Sentencing Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra...
-
Probe Raises Questions About PSG’s 2017 Deal and Political Involvement. French authorities have launched an investigation into allegations...
-
Cabinet decision shifts frozen tax funds away from Hamas-run Gaza, utilizing Norway as an intermediary. Israel’s cabinet has given...
-
Newly Released Footage Reveals Arrest at Miami Airport Newly released body camera footage reveals the arrest of 73-year-old Donna...
-
Russian Foreign Minister Asserts Moscow’s Stance on Nuclear Arms Control Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced today that Russia...
-
Cross-Border Clashes Escalate Between Pakistan and Iran In a significant escalation of hostilities, Pakistan and Iran have exchanged military...
-
UN Mission Aircraft Taken by Militants After Technical Issue In a concerning development, the al-Qaeda-affiliated group al-Shabab has reportedly...
-
As scrutiny intensifies, Fujitsu faces repercussions for its role in the Post Office scandal. The UK government has issued...
-
Parker Solar Probe to achieve record-breaking proximity to the sun, providing unprecedented insights into solar processes. Since its launch...
-
Pakistan’s Election Commission rejects Imran Khan’s Nominations Pakistan’s Election Commission has rejected former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s nomination to...
-
Residents Urged to Evacuate as Japan Faces Significant Tsunami Threat Following Powerful Quake In the wake of a powerful...
-
Experts to Reveal Latest Assessment of Global Threats The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a nonprofit organization founded in...