(CNS): Sharks in the Bahamas are to be offered legal protection according to the local media.
The Tribune is reporting that new legislation is currently under review by the country’s Attorney General after a 10 months campaign by the Bahamas National Trust and the PEW Environment Group to make the Bahamas a sanctuary for sharks. The islands are home to one of the world's healthiest shark populations, while global populations but at present there are no laws to prevent shark fishing or the export of shark meat and fins. Meanwhile, the lack of protection for sharks in Cayman was raised recently when a hammerhead was sold for meat at the George Town fish market.
Although the sharks are protected when they are within the waters of the Cayman Islands' marine parks there is no protection for them anywhere else.
Globally all shark populations have declined dramatically, including the scalloped hammerhead, which the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists as endangered. This means this type of shark is considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. Locally these sharks were sighted with more regularity no more than a decade ago. However, in recent years sightings have diminished for unknown reasons and the current status of local populations of scalloped hammerheads remains largely undetermined. Full Article >>>
Location: Cayman Islands
