Bahamas bans commercial shark fishing

The Bahamas government says it will end all commercial shark fishing in its waters.

"The Bahamas government is determined to enhance the protection extended to sharks," said Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Lawrence S. Cartwright, adding that the protection area encompasses more than 240,000 square miles.

"As we are all aware, sharks are heavily fished in many corners of the world's oceans," he told a news conference.

Environmentalists and other groups say the the move, under which only the catch and release of sharks is permitted, marks the second time in two weeks that a Caribbean Basin country has enacted broad protections for sharks in its exclusive economic zone. Honduras instituted a total ban on shark fishing in its waters on June 24.

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

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

The Bahamas prohibited long-line fishing in 1993, which helped maintain the region's healthy shark populations.

"We started realising we had to start protecting the sharks," said Carey, whose non-governmental organisation manages The Bahamas' national park system.

The Bahamas National Trust, along with the US-based Pew Environment Group, sponsored a petition drive, televised public service announcements and distributed posters and T-shirts.

Several international shark advocates, including Pierre-Yves Cousteau, the son of Jacques Cousteau, artist Guy Harvey and Sherman's Lagoon cartoonist Jim Toomey, visited The Bahamas to push for the ban.

"2011 is fast becoming the year of the shark. We applaud the people and government of The Bahamas for being bold leaders in marine conservation," said Jill Hepp, the Pew Environment Group's manager of global shark conservation.

Cartwright said many of The Bahamas' 300,000 residents have come to embrace shark conservation, noting that 5,000 residents signed a petition supporting the new restrictions.

"As far as we're aware, there is wide support for it," he said, adding that The Bahamas Defence Force, which has three installations throughout the islands and is establishing a fourth, will enforce the new law.

He said that fishing vessel operators, who all have cellphones on their boats, are likely to report any violations of the regulations.

"Our fishermen are our greatest resource, in terms of enforcement," Cartwright said.

- CMC