Love them or fear them, sharks are an integral part of the oceans' ecosystems. Overfishing and finning have caused massive declines in shark populations over the past few decades, leading to new regulations designed to help protect sharks. The Marshall Islands has long had a pact with sharks; fishermen believe that so long as they respect the sharks, the sharks will protect them. The nation's ban on shark fishing reaffirms the relationship between islanders and sharks.
The World's Largest Shark Sanctuary
The Marshall Islands shark sanctuary is massive, covering an area of the central pacific which is roughly four times the size of the state of California. The reefs, islets, and tropical atolls of the Marshall Islands include Bikini Atoll - a very popular place with wreck divers, which is certain to become even more popular as shark activity increases. All commercial shark fishing and finning has been banned in this 1,990,530 square kilometer region; to date, this is the strongest shark protection legislation ever to be enacted. Key provisions of this legislation include the following:
- Commercial fishing for sharks, as well as sales of shark products or sharks are prohibited. A zero retention stipulation states that sharks caught by accident must be set free.
- Sizeable monetary fines between $25,000 and $200,000 USD are mandatory for anyone found to be fishing for sharks, or who is caught in possession of shark fins. Additionally, violators are to be fined the market value of shark products in their possession.
- Wire leaders have been banned, as they are often lethal to sharks.
- Monitoring and enforcement rules now require all fishing vessels to land all catches at a national port. Sea transfer of catches has been banned.
This moratorium on the shark trade is but the first of many anticipated in the region. For example, the Micronesia Regional Shark Sanctuary is in the planning stages; this sanctuary would protect sharks within an estimated area covering two million square miles.
Sharks are currently protected in Palau, the Maldives, the Bahamas, Tokelau, and Honduras, as well as in some areas along the coast of the United States. By joining together in an effort to provide sharks with the protection they need, these nations are saving not just sharks, but contributing to an important effort to restore the oceans to health.
Now, it seems the sharks feel more at ease, as though they realize that they are better protected. The story of a fisherman lost at sea for nearly four months is a compelling one. All alone in his boat, with no more food or water, a Pacific Islander named Toaki Teitoi says he was saved by a shark that circled his boat, guiding him to a tuna boat, which rescued him when he thought his chance of survival was nil. His is not the only story to have been told of a rescue like this; for hundreds of years, Pacific Islanders have told stories about amazing rescues that strengthened the bond between the sharks and themselves.