Bahamas bans shark fishing

The Bahamas government has banned all commercial shark fishing in its waters.



According to Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Lawrence Cartwright, the government has enforced protection to an area encompassing more than 240,000 square miles.



Cartwright says about 40 species of sharks swim in Bahamian waters, which is heavily dependent on tourism.



The executive director of the Bahamas National Trust, Eric Carey, said tourism accounts for 60 per cent of gross domestic product of The Bahamas, with shark tourism alone generating about US$80 million in annual revenue.



Under the ban, only the catch and release of sharks will be permitted.



The move by the government marks the second time in two weeks that a Caribbean basin country has enacted broad protections for sharks in its exclusive economic zone.



On June 24, Honduras instituted a total ban on shark fishing in its waters.