Ocean Sentry
(From dailyexpress.com.my) Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia- At least one resort here has started the ball rolling to prevent sharks being cruelly mutilated for their prized fins at sea. “Killing sharks and throwing them away just for their fins is a despicable and shameful practice that must be stopped,” said Nilakrisna James, spokesperson and PR Consultant for the resort.
In doing so, it has become the first tourism establishment in the State – and perhaps the nation – to implement a previous Federal Minister’s call (Science, Technology and Environment Minster Datuk Azmi Khaled) to government agencies and departments to stop serving shark’s fin soup at functions.
Internationally renowned marine scientist and zoologist Dr Mabel Manjaji Matsumoto, in a dinner talk on “Sharks and Rays of Sabah” at the resort, Thursday, said some 100 million sharks are killed yearly for their fins.
Of the estimated 2,000 species of sharks and rays worldwide, it is believed that in Sabah alone there are 36 species of sharks and 42 species of stingray, with some of the latest species found in the Kinabatangan region.
The talk, which was organized by Gayana Eco Resort’s Marine Ecology Research Centre (MERC) to create awareness of the marine biodiversity in Sabah and the threats to our unique and endangered marine life.
Meanwhile, Nilakrisna, who is also the Organising Chairman of Sabah Law Association’s Sub-committee on Environment and Climate Change, suggested that the Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI) at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) give the public more insight into threats to Sabah’s marine life through the media.
Set on its mission in achieving eco-certification, Gayana Eco Resort was recently declared by the Mayor as a “litter free resort” and announced its vision to be Asia’s No.1 Luxury Eco Resort.
