Malaysian State Mulls Shark Finning Ban After Boycott Threat
Sabah, a large Malaysian state, is considering banning the practice of shark finning after scuba divers threatened to boycott the country.
The Semporna Tourism Action Council proposed the ban because they believe sharks are largely responsible for the area’s booming touring industry. The council includes members of the Sabah Fisheries Department, Sabah Tourism Board, and even a representative of the World Wildlife Fund.
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“Why should we contribute to the decline of a beautiful area by supporting a place, which does not protect its own resources,” one diver said.
Shark finning is not currently illegal in the state, with the exception of the one protected species, the whale shark. While a ban is on the table, the council said that if they find that shark finning can be done “sustainably” that no action would be taken.
To learn more about the abhorrent practice of shark finning, check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s video and website on the issue.
Via: Malaysia Daily Express Photo courtesy of sharktrust.org
shark finning is really messed up. People have sick minds.
i don’t understand the practice. do people cut the fins so that the shark will eventually die and provide food for other fish?
They were considering but they decided NOT to ban. Read the rest of the article.
“However, the council felt that if the shark population can be restored through the implementation of the NPOA and that shark fishing can be proven to be sustainable then there would be no need for a ban on the activity.”
The title of the article is wrong!
Syam x,
The title is correct. Pay attention to the “…that IF the shark population can be restored…” in that sentence you pulled.
They have not made a decision. They are mulling a ban along with other options, which is what I said in my post.
-Alex
You cannot compare the training of a dog to fight with the same inborn instincts of other breeds. Pit bulls are by their very nature gentle, loving, deeply devoted to their humans with a loyalty and desire to please that has been their downfall.
It is the training, NOT the breeding. Did you not read the multitude of articles written about the Vick dogs? Sports Illustrated ran a wonderful indepth article about them. Anyone will tell you that it takes a multitude of pit bull puppies to find one that will be the kind of fighter these morons want. Simply because they are born to a litter sired by a fighter does NOT make all of them fighters. It’s training and the humans who do it.
This is the kind of incredibly blind attitude that keeps BSL alive and thriving. If what you believe is true, then how can any shelter know if the pit bull they have in a cage was bred from fighting stock? They don’t, so that’s why so many states automatically kill them all without question.
Just as the offspring of murderous humans are not automatically going to become serial killers, neither will every puppy born to fighting stock be a vicious fighter either. Every living being needs to be judged based on their own individual attributes, which is exactly what organizations like Best Friends and BadRap do, and do very well.