Boat with 357 dead sharks apprehended in Galapagos

by adamhanlon Friday, July 22nd, 2011

Article Summary:

MSNBC.com reports that 30 fishermen were caught with 357 dead sharks aboard their rundown vessel inside Galapagos National Park last Monday night. A patrol by park rangers and an Ecuador navy ship detained the vessel as it fished 20 miles inside the Galapagos Marine Reserve, the park said in a statement. Shark fishing, as well as any commercial-scale fishing, is illegal inside the park and its associated marine reserve, and the fishermen will now face criminal charges.

Illegal shark finning in the Galapagos became prevalent during the late 1990s after the local sea cucumber fishery collapsed.

Sharks are dangerous sea mammals, but that truth doesn't spared them from man's cruelty. It is just so absurd to kill 357 sharks for few bowls of soup. Sharks are already endangered that's why it is illegal to kill those mammals. Yearly, a number of mysterious sharks deaths is reported and from this very day, the cause of those deaths are still unidentified. The proof is here: Dead shark mysteries pile up in 2011.
Posted by williamG on 2011-08-10 02:27:03 Humans are stupid. Note at the end of the article why the fisherman are now going after the sharks. No more sea cucumbers! Sounds like every other fisheries story on the planet. No management, just over fish till gone, find a new species, repeat. Unless we figure out how to coexist eventually karma rules.
Posted by muckdiver on 2011-07-23 17:01:18 This will always happen as long as people are prepared to pay big sums for a bowl of sharkfin soup.
Posted by John Bantin on 2011-07-23 07:11:08 I hope the criminal charges stick, and that the penalty is tough.
Posted by Don in Colorado on 2011-07-23 00:01:43 They should gave made them walk the plank!
Posted by KirkD on 2011-07-22 18:43:30