MANILA, Philippines – The days of the delicious shark’s fin soup are numbered – that is if a bill filed by Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo becomes law.
House Bill 174, filed by the former president and her son Diosdado, representative of Camarines Sur’s second district, seeks to conserve and protect sharks and stingrays by banning the selling of their by-products, including fins.
It would prohibit any person or corporation from exploiting sharks and stingrays and their habitats by killing, destroying, selling, purchasing, possessing, transporting, and exporting these endangered species.
Even the accidental wounding or killing of these species in the course of catching other fish or species would be unlawful.
If sharks and rays are accidentally caught, they should be released immediately unharmed into the sea.
The bill also prohibits dumping of waste materials harmful to sharks and rays.
“It is important to note that the human appetite for shark’s fin soup and meat has led to the collapse of the shark and ray population, considering that these species are particularly vulnerable because they grow slowly and live as long as 100 years, hence they have low reproductive rates and low natural mortality, making them prone to extinction,” the Arroyos said.
They said the government should recognize the significant contributions of sharks and rays in the promotion of Philippine ecotourism and that these predators of the sea help maintain the ecological balance in the marine environment.
“Over the years, these marine species are in danger of disappearing from our waters. The population of these sharks and rays declined significantly due to overfishing, human consumption, habitat destruction, pollution due to mercury poisoning and the impact of climate change,” they said.
Under the Arroyos’ bill, violators face six to 12 years imprisonment and fines ranging from P100,000 to P1 million.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) would issue the guidelines for the enforcement of the proposed ban.
On the other hand, the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Philippine Council for Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD) would help the DENR identify the habitats and feeding grounds of sharks and rays so these could be declared protected areas.