Tokelau Declares Shark Sanctuary

Blue sharks (Prionace glauca), seen here, tiger sharks (Galeocerdo curvier), Oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus), and whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) can be found in the region. Photograph by Jim Abernethy courtesy of Pew Environment Group

Pew Congratulates South Pacific Island for Joining Global Trend

Matt Rand, director of Global Shark Conservation for the Pew Environment Group, issued the following statement on 7 September 2011 in response to the shark sanctuary designation made by Tokelau, an island territory in the South Pacific. The new sanctuary encompasses all 319,031 square kilometers (123,178 square miles) of Tokelau’s exclusive economic zone.

“We congratulate the government and people of Tokelau for giving their shark populations a glorious place to thrive. This action further strengthens the unprecedented global conservation trend to protect these apex predators. From the Bahamas, Chile and Honduras in the Americas, to the Marshall Islands and Guam in Micronesia, governments continue to join our efforts to protect sharks.

Oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus). Photograph by Jim Abernethy courtesy of Pew Environment Group

“The high demand for shark fins for an Asian soup delicacy, along with wasteful fishing practices, contributes to the death of up to 73 million of these animals annually.

“We are thrilled to see Tokelau take this action and look forward to working with leaders further to protect its sharks.”

 This news is from the Pew Environment Group, 7 September 2011

Note:

The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a nongovernmental organization that works globally to establish pragmatic, science-based policies that protect our oceans, preserve our wildlands and promote clean energy. For more information, visit www.PewEnvironment.org.