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Mit diesem Brief an Regierungsstellen/Ministerien der Seychellen versuchen wir nähere Informationen zum tatsächlichen Status des Haischutzes auf den Seychellen zu erhalten. Wir warten gespannt auf die Reaktionen.
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Dear Madam/Sir,
Our NGO, mare-mundi.eu (http://www.mare-mundi.eu) is actively campaigning for the protection of the oceans, at the Mediterranean, at the Red Sea and also at the Islands of the Seychelles. Over a period of 10 years our organisation has performed nature excursions for ecologically and nature-interested people to the Islands of the Seychelles.
The Seychelles are well known for their numerous conservation efforts. Over the years we have observed certain negative tendencies and developments in the island’s ecology with higher frequencies causing growing concern.
We would like to share these oberservations with you and ask for more information of the present status of shark conservation. If you have addressed the issues in any conservation project we would also welcome this additional information in order to update our intensive public promotion activities, accordingly.
We kindly ask you for official and clear information about the current legal situation of shark protection on the Seychelles. Two years ago mare-mundi has developed a TV documentation for the Austrian Public Broadcast, showing the situation of the sharks at the Seychelles. We covered the terrible practice of finning at the Islands of the Seychelles as well. Proofs for finning at that time were numerous. Local fishermen offered us shark fins at the Victoria fish market.
Over the last 10 years we have observed an alarming decrease of the shark population. When asking locals in this regard, we received contradictive replies. Some claim that shark fishing is constricted or prohibited since spring 2008. Others say that just the practice of finning, i.e. fishing just to make fins, is prohibited.
We must note that sharks attract people. Therefore, sharks are of high importance for the tourism industry. A decrease of their numbers would have negative consequences on the scuba diving tourism, an effect which could clearly be observed on the Maldives. Ten thousands of people have already joined a campaign to protect sharks after having realized the importance of their ecological function. The general degradation of the oceanic ecosystem is considerably influenced by the decimation of shark populations.
We, as a conservation NGO and friends of the Seychelles are committed to support positive developments at the Islands of the Seychelles in this concern. Please inform us of any projects that aim for the protection and sustainable use shark-populations and other overfished species such as the Red Snapper.
We hope to hear from you soon and remain
Sincerely,
Robert Hofrichter
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