Shark Fishing in Reunion Island: Associations Stop the Massacre!

The
judge considered that the consultations necessary to adopt this order
had not been properly carried out, which undermines the scientific
basis of this fishing. In fact, the Prefecture had not submitted his
decision to any scientific council worthy of the name, so that no
protocol had methodically regulated this fishing.

An anti-scientific decision

Through
the media, the scientists of the Reserve have had the opportunity to
express their opposition to this fishing in the middle of a rich
natural area still in reconstruction and therefore particularly
fragile. Obviously, such fishing in a protected area goes against the
ecological interests of the reserve whose official mission is the
optimal preservation of all species, as the interrelations are strong
between fish fauna and coral production.

The
Fisheries Committee is the structure responsible for conducting the
Shark 2 program. However, these fisheries scientists, who are not
scientists, design the program, implement it, and control it. The
conclusions they draw from their own analyses do not present any
impartiality or scientific credibility. However, it is on the basis
of these conclusions that the prefect authorized the capture of
sharks in the heart of a protected marine area, itself valuable for
the economy and tourism.

Non-selective fishing and opaque methods

Recall
that many species of sharks, key species in the ecosystem and ocean
food chains, are considered threatened by IUCN (2). Capturing them
without further study as to their population, movements and
behaviours necessarily has negative consequences for the entire
equilibrium of the ocean and more particularly for the already
fragile coastal area of Reunion.

The
fishing methods used are vertical longlines (drum line) where baits
are hung that do not attract only the targeted species. Two-thirds of
the catches made under the program would be bycatch. It is difficult
to know what is being done, since no sworn and independent observer
is accepted on the fishing boats (the reports of the Technical
Committee of the Fisheries Committee admit some difficulties in
collecting the information). Many animals are paying the price, such
as the Great White Shark, protected species, killed last October, for
lack of a real training of the actors of the program and the presence
of independent competent persons on board.

A dangerous but lucrative fishing

According
to a completely absurd logic, the prefect wishes to secure the water
activity areas by attracting sharks near these areas! This fish has
the potential to attract animals to a space they might otherwise not
have occupied.

Far from decreasing, this
system where public money and natural heritage are sacrificed on the
altar of obscurantism has just been institutionalized within ACRAR
(3), a new association which is based on the old methods, allows to
the main architects of this absurd system to carve out a lion’s
share. That certainly explains that…

(1)
Supported by Tendua, Safeguarding Sharks, Waves, Requin (Shark)
Integration and Brigitte Bardot Foundation.

(2)
International Union for the Conservation of Nature

(3)
Association for Shark Risk Resource and Support Centre