Video Caught Sharks Traded in Daanbantayan

●Video captures a vendor in Daanbantayan town public market trading baby sharks last weekend despite warning from Capitol Task Force.

While the rest of the world celebrated the Oceans Day and the International Coral Triangle Day last Sunday and Monday, respectively, purported baby sharks were reportedly traded in Daanbantayan town public market last weekend.

“This is a sad day for our ocean, as we just celebrated the World Oceans Day, and then here we are – Cebuanos who have been benefiting from sharks in terms of healthy ecosystem and tourism money, killing continuously the goose who laid the golden egg,” said Greenpeace Southeast Asia ocean campaigner and Cebuano environmentalist Vince Cinches.

It was Cinches who posted on his Facebook account photo grabs of what he believed were “baby guitar sharks” sold openly in Daanbantayan Public Market. The two photos were taken from a video taken by one Denver Monteverde last Saturday. Monteverde also posted the same on his Facebook account.

“This is a big slap on the face of our local legislators who just passed a policy to protect important marine species in Cebu,” said Cinches.

Earlier, before reports of sharks being sold in local markets, the Capitol’s anti-illegal fishing task force had warned local fishers from catching and selling endangered species.

Loy Madrigal of the Province’ Anti-Illegal Fishing task force earlier said they would post pictures of endangered and threatened species including sharks in public places like ports and markets to inform the fishers and the vendors that they could go to jail if they are found red-handed.

Monteverde’s video caught the posted pictures of endangered sharks stuck in a pillar, a few inches from where the two baby sharks were being displayed. A meter away, the video caught a vendor carrying a shark, suggesting a gesture of selling the said specie.

Cinches called for a “stronger national policy to protect sharks ” noting that local warnings went unheeded. Cinches said many people, even legislators, are not aware of the importance of sharks, apart from their tourism value.

“A number of shark species are apex predators, and therefore help in maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem. Their survival has been threatened due to the growing demand for shark’s fin soup and other shark products,” he said.

Cinches, however, said that not all sharks are endangered, but due to poor regulation of the country’s fishing industry, a large population of these species have become victims of illegal finning.

He added that Interpol’s Environmental Crime Program warned companies involved in this illegal trade.

Cinches said the Philippines is the center of the Coral Triangle. He reminded that if sharks disappear, all will be affected. For a start, the local government units must step up and do their part in protecting their marine resources, he added.

While there is only a few number of shark attacks recorded each year, there are reportedly 70 to 100 million of sharks killed annually all over the world, Cinches said.

Photo above: Photo grabs of a video shared on Facebook by Greenpeace Southeast Asia’s Oceans campaigner Vince Cinches. The video was reportedly taken by a certain Denver Valiente Monterde last Saturday in Daanbantayan Public Market.

CONTRIBUTED Photo