Although it is a slight exaggeration to say that you are more likely to be bitten by Uruguayan and Barcelona footballer Luis Suarez than by a shark, there is no doubt that sharks have received an undeservedly bad press and are still hugely under appreciated.
Although it is a slight exaggeration to say that you are more likely to be bitten by Uruguayan and Barcelona footballer Luis Suarez than by a shark, there is no doubt that sharks have received an undeservedly bad press and are still hugely under appreciated.
The movie Jaws did a great deal of harm to the image of sharks – which is a pity, as they are important fishes that play a vital role in marine ecosystems.
While some sharks, such as the great white, tiger, blue, mako and hammerhead shark are apex predators, and are potentially dangerous to humans, most of the 470 species are small, relatively harmless creatures that go about their business without posing any threat to human trespassers in the ocean.
I have known for some time that Dubai is one of the international epicentres for trade in natural pearls, gemstones, gold and silver, but I learned recently that it is also one of the leading centres for trade in shark fins.
Sharks are common in the Arabian Gulf – you see them on almost every dive – and they are heavily exploited for their fins, which, not surprisingly, are a prized ingredient in shark fin soup, a dish that is regarded as a delicacy in the Far East.
Dubai, where shark fin auctions are held virtually every evening, now ranks amongst the top five export hubs in the world for this commodity.
In 2011 over 20 000 tons of shark was caught in the Arabian Gulf. Although we do not know the size of local shark populations, this level of harvesting, year after year, will inevitably reduce the stock significantly.
Local shark fishermen are already complaining that their catches have declined sharply in recent years.
For this reason, or maybe for its own self-interest, Dubai has recently introduced strict regulations to control commercial shark fishing.
They include a ban on any catches of whale sharks and sawfish and a ban on all shark fishing during their breeding season (January to end April).
Other regulations stipulate that sharks may only be caught using hook-and-line and not using trawl, gill or drift nets, explosives or poisons.
Also, the whole shark must be caught and taken to the fish market – it is illegal to cut off the fins and toss the carcass back into the water.
Sadly, these conservation measures may be too late for some sharks.
Gillnetting in the sea is banned in many countries but it is extensively practised in the Arabian Gulf. It is a ruthlessly efficient and indiscriminate method of fishing.
Any sea life that is entangled in the nets will eventually drown, including sharks, bony fishes, turtles and even small whales.
Furthermore, ‘ghost nets’, nylon gill nets that have been abandoned as they have snagged on reefs, continue killing fishes for many years.
The odds of being bitten by Luis Suarez rather than by a shark are rising every day.
*Professor Mike Bruton is the Director of the Bahrain Science Centre. He was previously Founder of the Department of Ichthyology & Fisheries Science at Rhodes University and Director of the then JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology in Grahamstown.
