Article Summary:

SUNCO Wholesale Seafood Ltd. has announced that it plans to explore the export of shark fin caught in the Bahamas. Sharks have never been commercially fished there before, which helps to explain the healthy shark populations that exist. SUNCO’s CEO James Mackey stated that he was looking into the possibility although he did not yet have permissions from the Department of Marine Resources. The company, which is based at North Mastic Point, Andros has set up with close trading links to the Chinese Shenzhen Fengyuhua Trade Co. Ltd via a shell company in New Jersey and is currently “harvesting” a daily average of 5,000 “furry” sea cucumbers (Astichopus multifidus).

The impact of large-scale shark finning on the Bahamian shark population would be immense. There is currently no protection in Bahamian law for sharks, as there has not yet been a need. In order to try and change this, a petition has been launched urging the government to ban the import and export of shark products.