NewSabahTimes

TOURISMSBIGTHREATSHARKFINMENUS
30thMarch,2016
KOTAKINABALU:Amassboycottofrestaurantsservingsharkfindisheshasbeencalledforbytour
operators.Theclarioncallcomesamidfearsthattheiconicmarinepredatorisbeinghuntedtoextinction.
AnditsdisappearancecouldhaveadevastatingeffectonSabahstourismindustrywhichrakedinRM6.4
billionin2015.
ThatwasthesingularwarningfromtheMalaysianAssociationofTourandTravelAgents(MATTA)which
havealsocalledforurgentfederalgovernmentaction.
ThesharkpopulationinSabahhasdeclinedby80percentoverthepastthreedecadesandtheyarerarer
inwatersoffpeninsularMalaysia,saidMATTAvicepresidentelectDatukTanKokLiangyesterday.
TheremainingsharksfoundinSabahattractedover55,000diverslastyear,pumpingRM323milliontothe
localeconomy.Butthisannualrevenuemaybewipedoutoncethesharksarefurtherdepleted,hesaid.
Accordingtohim,sharkhuntingandfinninghadalreadybeenbannedbytheEuropeanUnion,andafurther
27othernationshavefollowedsuitsince2013.
Sabahhasrepeatedlycalledonthefederalgovernmenttobansharkhunting.
Weneedtobemorecaringandsharkfinningiscruel.Asforthetourismindustry,itisnodifferentfrom
killingthegoosethatlaysthegoldeneggs.
ManytouristvisitingSabahwereenvironmentalconscious,andifthiscontinued,itcouldbackfireon
ecotourism.
Butthebanonsharkhuntingandkillingwillcontinuetobedelayedaslongasthehuntersareaccorded
greaterprioritythanthismagnificentfishspecies,whichplaysacrucialroleinmaintainingthebalanceof
natureinourmarineecosystems,Tansaid.
HeaddedthatMATTAwasnowadoptingatwoprongapproachbycallingforaboycottofestablishments
servingsharkfins.
ThesloganWhenthebuyingstops,thekillingcantooisjustasapplicablehereasinotherconservation
efforts.
SharkfinconsumptionhasnolongerbeeninvogueforsometimeandleadinghotelchainssuchasHilton,
Hyatt,JWMarriott,LeMeridien,Peninsula,ShangriLa,WaldorfAstoriaandWestindonotserveit.
ArecentreportbytheHongKongSharkFoundation,foundthatashocking98percentofthe375
restaurantssurveyedcontinuetochooseprofitoverenvironmentallyfriendlypractices.
Butifvoluntaryeffortswereineffective,tourismauthoritiescouldcompileablacklistofrestaurantsserving

sharkfinssothattouristscouldboycottthemaltogether,andnotjustthedish.
Astrategiccampaigntoraiseawarenessandeducaterestaurantoperators,localsandtouristswouldhave
aripplingeffectacrosssociety,andensurethatsuchnobleconservationeffortsaresustainable.
Asimplecompetitiontopickthebestsloganfornoteatingsharkfinswouldgeneratemuchinterestand
publicity,andthoseenterprisingenoughtotakepartcouldmakeakillingsellingTshirtswithmeaningful
slogans,headded.
Andadropindemandforsharkfins,hesaid,wouldforcefishermentolookformoresustainablecatchesor
perhapspoolresourcestobuildkelongs,wheremanymarinefishsoldinthemarketswerefarmed.
Thesekelongscanalsobeturnedintotouristattractionsfordaytrippersandovernightvisitors,hesaid.
Ifanationwideprohibitionisnotpractical,theleastthegovernmentcoulddoistointroduceittostatesthat
callforaban,startingwithSabah,saidTan.
HealsosaidtourismwasthelifebloodofthestateandthefactthatitearnedRM6.4billionlastyeardidnot
comebychancebutasaresultofgreatforesightinbanningloggingmorethan10yearsago.
Meanwhile,Tourism,CultureandEnvironmentMinistertoldNewSabahTimesyesterdayhisministrywith
theconcurrenceofthestategovernmentwrotetotheFederalMinistryofAgricultureandFisheriesasking
foranamendmentinaprovisionoftheFisheriesActthatwouldprohibitsharkhuntingandsharkfinningin
Sabah.
Thefederalauthorityrespondedfiveyearslatertosaythatitisnotagreeabletotheproposal.
Sabahscaseisplainandsimple.DivingindustryisamajorcontributortotourismreceiptsearningRM350
millionayearandover55,000diverscometoSabahannuallyand90percentareforeigners,Masidisaid.
HesaidSabahwasadivingparadiseinMalaysiaandwellknowninternationallyforthatandthemajorityof
thediverswantedtoseesharksinthewild.
SabahistheonlystateinMalaysialeftwithsharkpopulation.Unfortunatelyitisestimatedthat80percent
ofsharksinSabahhavebeenkilledfortheirfins.Meaning,weareleftwiththelast20%andthattooarefast
disappearingduetofishingandsharkhunting.
Attheratetheyareharvested,sharkscouldgoextinctduringourlifetime,hecautioned.Masidialsosaid
thesupportforthebanwasoverwhelmingespeciallyamongtheyouth.
ChinesebasedNGOsinSabah,hesaid,weresomeofthemostvocalsupportersoftheproposedban.
Whenthelastsharkiskilled,thatwillspelldoomtothedivingindustry.Diverswouldsimplygoanddivein
othercountrieswheretheycanstillsightsharksinthewild.
AndtheRM350millionannualrevenuewouldbegone,manywouldlosetheirjobs.Sabahspositionasa
majortouristdestinationwillsurelybeaffected,theministerstressed.
MasidiaddedthattourismwastheonlyindustryinSabahwhereover90percentoftheplayers/workers
werelocals.

80percentofplantationworkersand70percentofconstructionworkersareforeigners.Therefusaltoban
sharkhuntingandsharkfinningaregoingtoaffectthelocalsnottheforeigners.
Theirexcuseisthatthereisnosharkhunting/finningindustry.Peoplehavecomeupwithenoughevidence
tonegatethisratherlameexcuse.
Itslikesayingtherearenosmuggledcigarettesinthecountry,hesaid.

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