Raja Ampat Shark Sanctuary becomes Law in Indonesia
March 25, 2013 – 9:01 am
Sharks and manta rays will now benefit from stronger protections after the 2010 decree designating the Raja Ampat Shark and Ray Sanctuary was formalised into Provincial law Last month.
The announcement marks the successful second stage of the development of the Raja Ampat Shark and Ray Sanctuary, which was created in 2010 by local Bupati decree with the support of a coalition of conservation organisations, including a Shark Savers’ campaign, petition and presentation of support to the Raja Amapat government.
Since the 2010 Bupati decree, a cooperative effort including Conservation International, the Nature Conservancy, WildAid, CORAL, Shark Savers, Papua Diving and Misool Eco Resort has been ongoing to elevate the decree into a more permanent and enforceable law.
Tens of millions sharks are killed each year to satisfy the demand for shark fin soup, and Indonesia is one of the largest contributors to the shark fin trade. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nation (FAO), Indonesia exported more than 100,000 tons of shark from 2000-2008, and a report from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LPI) and CSIRO in Australia also confirmed drastic declines in Indonesia’s shark populations. Indeed, Indonesia is the largest shark fishery in the world, so this very large shark and ray sanctuary is a significant sign of progress.
Full story on Shark Savers website here.
