Sabah eateries split on shark hunting ban

It's bouquets from hotel operators and brickbats from restaurateurs in Sabah following a move by the state government to ban shark hunting in local waters as soon as possible.

The state government worries that the shark population is down by 80 percent or more and now confined only to four areas.

Another growing worry is that the sharks may contain methyl mercury in amounts which can cause brain damage, affect the central nervous system, and result in headaches, memory difficulties, depression, kidney damage and cancer.

Sabah Restaurant Association chair Lim Vun Chen described the proposed ban as illogical and wants sharks to be harvested like any other marine creature.

He pointed out that the livelihood of many local fishermen depended on shark hunting and they would be seriously affected if the proposed ban was enforced.

"It's not true that sharks are only hunted for their fins. They are also hunted for their flesh, skin and even bones, "said Lim who is also a vice-president of the Pan Malaysia Restaurant and Chef Association.

"Our fishermen are making a decent living from this creature. Why deny them the opportunity?"

The skin, disclosed Lim, is used for fish maw soup; the bones can be used both in soups or ground into powder and made into capsules for their medicinal properties.

"Shark skin fetches RM20 to RM30 a kilo while the flesh is sold at RM8 per kilo," said Lim who pooh-poohs the concerns of the environmental lobby that sharks may be a human health hazard.

Most of the shark fins served in Sabah, according to Lim, are imported from neighbouring countries especially Sulawesi in Indonesia.

Smuggling shark fins

Indications are that such fare would be smuggled in if a shark hunting ban was imposed in Sabah.

Lim thinks that the state government's efforts to conserve sharks would be an exercise in futility if there's no worldwide ban on shark hunting. 

The sharks in Sabah, he claimed, would be caught by the mainland Chinese and Vietnamese once they left local waters.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun reiterated earlier this week that the state government is studying the legal aspects of the proposed shark hunting ban.

The move would require amendments to the State Wildlife Protection Ordinance by the end of this year after studying similar legislation in several countries.

These include Palau, Guam, Seychelles, Maldives, Honduras, Hawaii, California and Oregon.

Hoteliers, on the other side of the divide, are all for a ban on shark hunting. Many say that the sharks fin dish, for example, is only popular for special functions especially weddings.

"The state government's move to ban sharking hunting is similar to the move several years ago to protect turtles," said Sabah Hotels Association (SHA) President Christopher Chan.

"The government would need to give operators time to clear their existing stocks before the ban is imposed."

Sandakan Fishermen's Association chair Phua Peh Chee, among others, has mixed feelings about the proposed ban. "It would be more appropriate for us to have the kind of equipment which will help minimize injuries to sharks hunted for food," said Phua.

"The government should make such equipment available before rushing to ban shark hunting."

Protected species

Kota Kinabalu Fishing Boat Owners' Association founder Cheong Eng Tiang, who believes in karma, begs to differ.

"Sea turtles and sharks should be protected species," said Chong who has been in the trade since 1976. "It's not that we want to hunt sharks. Sometimes, the sharks swim into the net and they are dead by the time we retrieve the net."

Persatuan Nelayan Sabah chair Maslan Selen does not expect his 1,500 members to be affected by a ban on shark hunting since they don't venture beyond the 25 nautical mile limit which has very few sharks.

"The problem is being created by over 100 Vietnamese boats operating in and out of Sabah waters," said Maslan. "They are the ones which affect our livelihood, not any ban on shark hunting."

Anglers in Sabah, who have the last word, lament that eateries in the state are passing off imitation shark's fins as the genuine stuff. Imitation shark's fins, according to Sabah Anglers Association (SAA) President Wilfred Lingam, are made from gelatin, and fish maw or fish intestine.

"Not many people here can afford to have shark's fin soup," said Lingam. "Sharks caught in local waters end up in Hong Kong, China and Singapore."

It is said that the price of good quality shark fins can reach RM3,000 per kg in the Kota Kinabalu market.

Local eateries, fumed Lingam, should be honest and tell their patrons that they are serving imitation shark's fin soup.

Shark's fin would not be the only delicacy to disappear from menus in Sabah after turtle soup and eggs. Bear's paw and rhino's horns are also missing.