
South Africa: Outcry At Plan To Slaughter Sharks
August 14, 2007 @ 10:07 AM (EST)
Source: Allafrica.com
Top marine scientists have lashed out at a planned shark-fishing competition off Durban next weekend with one describing it as a return to the "dark days of revenge killing" of the creatures.
About 35 anglers will compete to kill sharks which they claim in a newsletter are so plentiful they "can be seen under the boats waiting to grab fish as they are brought to the surface".
Malcolm Smile, a marine biologist at the Bayworld Aquarium in Port Elizabeth, said the slaughter was totally unjustifiable and that the anglers were on a mission to hunt and kill sharks - sharks that others enjoyed seeing and which contributed to ecotourism on the South African coast.
Lesley Rochat, of the Afri-Oceans Conservation Alliance, said the competition "in the guise of a very questionable charity event", would target sharks above 20kg and the fins would be "donated" through a local Asian buyer...
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