Baby shark killed in Batangas

Not an ordinary fish. The baby white tip shark (above) was 

accidentally caught inn the hook and line of the fishermen 

who went out to sea to catch tuna.

Calatagan, Batangas—Just a day after the successful release of the third sea turtle in this town, a baby white tip shark was killed and butchered by the fishermen who accidentally caught in their fishing lines.

   According to Jessie De Los Reyes, project coordinator of Conserve and Protect Oceans (CAPOCEAN) Foundation, and volunteer Bantay Dagat, the shark was hooked in the fishing lines of the fishermen who were out on the West Philippine sea to catch blue marlin and tuna.

   The fishermen saw the shark at about 10 a.m. on Tuesday 12 kilometers from the shorelines of Barangay Carretonan in this town.

   Accidentally caught in the fishing lines, the fishermen 

release the baby shark, but just watched it die. They knew 

value of the shark's fin and tails in the Chinese restaurants 

Binondo.

De los Reyes was in the shores when he witnessed how the shark was chopped up, weighed, and sold.

   “Nothing went to waste, every part of the shark was sold,” De los Reyes said,” They said the fins and tail will be sold by traders to Chinese Restaurants in Binondo, where it could be made into shark fin soup, an aphrodisiac. I couldn't do anything but look. It felt like my heart was being crushed. ”

   De los Reyes said, even if the fishermen violated the law when they killed the shark, up to now, no charges have been filed against them.

   “Poverty drove them to do it. They know the shark fins and tail could be sold for a lot of money. I think it’s the people who buy the shark’s fin and tails who should be caught. Without the demand, the fishermen won’t even think about catching the shark,” he said

   The shark meat and innards were also sold locally.

   R.A 8550 o Fisheries Code of the Philippines prohibits the killing of endangered marine animals such as turtles, dolphins, whales, and sharks and whoever is caught butchering the fish could be fined with P120,000, confiscation of the catch, and cancellation of the fishing permit.

   Killed, butchered, and sold. Despite the fishermen's 

awareness of the laws protecting the baby shark, the call 

of money and the high demand for its fins and tail came first.

   Due to Calatagan's strategic location in the Verde Island Passage and the West Philippine Sea, its seas has always been frequented by sea turtles, whales, dolphins, and sharks that are also essential to the marine biodiversity. The endangered marine animals are responsible for the balance in the sea's ecosystem, aside from being the town's tourism.   

   It was only on Monday when they released an olive ridlely turtle that was accidentally caught in some fishermen's net, something the environment protectors consider as a victory for nature. Tuesday's shark slaughter put their score back to zero. (Mei Magsino, Batangas, Photos by Jessie De Los Reyes)