Friday November 21, 2008. 11:19

Sharks in Moalboal and Santander, Philippines

Whale sharks are spotted in Moalboal in increasing numbers. Whitetip sharks are seen in Pescador Island regularly, sometimes also in Tongo or even the house reef. On the other hand, sightings of hammerhead sharks have decreased dramatically since shark shark sightings in Moalboal and Santander. Some dive centers in Moalboal and Santander work together in recording these sightings.

Two organizations are dedicated in whale shark research. Both organizations are asking divers who had the luck to make some underwater pictures to send them these pictures for scientific reasons. As Jason Holmberg from ECOCEAN Whale Shark Photo - ID Library explains: "To help us uniquely identify individual whale sharks from photographs, we just completed work on a pattern - matching system that allows us to scan for other photos of the same shark if we have good left or right - side shots of the shark's natural skin patterning. This is an excellent and very possibly more reliable method of tracking these animals than traditional spear - based invasive tagging. Here are two links with more info: www.whalesharkproject.org
www.shepherdproject.org/overview.jsp

The bigger picture
(Asian Diver Magazine Okt. / Nov. 2001)
Whale sharks have been under constant threat from humans. Hundreds of Whale Sharks are literally butchered every year. Unlike predatory shark meat, whale shark meat is edible and much sought after in Asian markets. Taiwanese are the biggest culprits in their obsession with this meat. Fishing fleets are now using full time spotter aircraft to direct fishing boats to the sharks in the open ocean. Recently, in Sulawesi, the Taiwanese were responsible for the mass - murder of hundreds of whale sharks, dolphins, dugongs and turtles, as miles of mono filament nets were spread across the Lembeh Straits. Although such illicit practices outraged the world, these culprits go away with only light penalties. Now subcontractors are using sophisticated military hardware I their mass slaughter practices. The continued loss of these helpless creatures might soon see them extinct, unless we can act and do something to counteract the slaughter. As individuals, it would be difficult to achieve this goal; we need to add to the ripples already generated by organizations such as the Shark Trust. By signing petitions, we can create waves of increasing pressure on these dubious governments by promoting actions affecting their overseas trading potential. For example, by imposing international embargoes. However, in countries with very little respect for any form of sentient life, it is not going to be an easy task. Make your opinion worth its weight at: www.sharktrust.org

Hammerhead Sharks in Moalboal
Here in Moalboal, we don't know why the hammerheads disappeared. Some see a connection with the El Nino, who brought warmer water in those days. Again, Moalboal were very lucky because we weren't affected by coral bleaching due to the great depth of the Tañon Strait. But some people report from a big fishing fleet cruising through the Visayas, on the hunt of shark meat. Fact is, since then hammerheads sightings in the whole Visayas dropped dramatically. We cannot do much against an El Nino. But we challenge every diver to do his best against the practice of big time commercial shark fishing fleets.

Sharks are one of the most fascinating and mysterious groups of fish to swim in our oceans. As apex predators, they're crucial to the stability of their underwater world, yet they've always been feared, maligned and misunderstood. They're among the planet's most successful hunters, and they've ruled the seas unchallenged for nearly 400 million years. But now, after just a few decades of persecution and overfishing, they're in danger of being killed off for ever. (The Shark Trust)

Mission Possible The end of sharks?
Extinction has become real possibility for our oceans top predator. A bowl of shark fin soup used to be the food of emparadors, a refined delicacy taken in small quantities and on special occasions only. Affluence has changed all that dramatically. Conservative estimates now speak of annual worldwide consumption of our 350 tons of shark fin. This translates into more than half a million sharks killed every year for their fins, often under exemptionally brutal circumstances. Stocks have been depleted so severely that shark fin is now imported into South East Asia from as far away as Scandinavia and South America. All shark species are affected, even the rare Basking Shark and the legendary Great White. And demands is increasing. At issue is not, but sustainability. A balanced approach is needed in this emerging conflict between old cultural habits and the need for conservation of all our marine resources. The problem is global, but the solution may be right in your own hands. Think about the future of our ocean. Think before you order shark fin. You alone can make of difference.

"Please don't allow the sharks to become extinct without lifting a finger" If you know anyone trading in shark products, please call Eyes and Ears hotline: 0 - 6973 - 2220 - 1, 0 - 2579 - 6886 or contact: P.O. Box 313 Prakanong Post office, Bangkok 101 10, Thailand. www.wildasia.org

These shark pictures are all taken in Cebu and adjacent areas. They are copyright products of the photgrapher and may not be used for commercial purposes. These pictures are taken by Joris Rombouts, Kevin Markey, Marc Bueclair, Mikael Ericsson, Peter Lönnblad and Jesper Nyqvist who have visit us over the years. Please follow this link for some pictures of sharks.