Avila Geraldine New Straits Times 22 Jul 12;
WIN-WIN: Positive outcome for all parties concerned
KOTA KINABALU: A HOLISTIC approach must be taken to protect sharks, whose population in Sabah has dropped significantly in the last 20 years, a forum was told.
Local residents and fishermen said fish stock had also declined.
They voiced their concerns at an open forum on shark fishing and conservation held in Semporna last Sunday.
The forum was attended by representatives from the Federal Government, Fisheries Department, District Office, tourism stakeholders, restaurants associations, shark experts, fisheries association and the local fishing community.
Dr James Alin of the School of Business and Economics at University Malaysia Sabah said sharks brought in RM192.5 million a year to Sabah against RM5 million from the import and export of sharks.
He said a holistic approach such as the Semporna Shark Sanctuary proposed by Borneo Conservancy was needed as it would encourage collaborative management among the community and stakeholders to ensure the co-existence of various stakeholders and marine life.
A statement by the Borneo Conservancy said the establishment of a shark sanctuary would create a "win-win" solution and positive outcome for all.
Its director, Daniel Doughty, stressed that the shark sanctuary would provide green job opportunities for the local community as well as a partnership with the local university, government departments and stakeholders in its implementation.
"The shark sanctuary will be the first in Southeast Asia and will demonstrate areas where sharks can thrive and be protected, so the marine ecosytem can be restored.
"A partnership with the dive industry will enable a robust sustainable financing mechanism to be created, hence encourage ownership and sustainable funding to manage, protect and achieve such vision."
During the forum in Semporna, Doughty presented the government with a petition booklet that had over 38,000 signatures of support from non-governmental organisations, tourists, and government ministers around the world.
