Protection of species

Sharks at risk from quest to develop vaccine against corona virus

Development of a vaccine against Covid-19 could come at the expense of sharks, researchers warn; A key ingredient used in vaccines to enhance immune response and increase effectiveness, squalene — an oily substance found in plants and even human skin — is particularly concentrated in shark livers.



The Three Gorges section of the Yangtze River.

Commercial fishing banned in Yangtze River for 10 years

The Chinese government has imposed a 10-year commercial fishing ban in the Yangtze River to combat "across-the-board" declines in the populations of rare species like the Chinese sturgeon.

As it came into effect on 1 January 2020, it is hoped that the ban will tackle the problems of dwindling fish stocks and declining biodiversity in the 6,300m river. It will be applied at 332 conservation sites along the river and be extended to cover the main river course and key tributaries by 1 January 2021.

1856 Advertisement depicting a whale hunt.

Japan to resume whale hunt

Japans announcement that it is withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission and will resume commercial whale hunting next year, have sparked swift condemnation from other governments and conservation groups. For many years Japan has hunted whales for what it calls "scientific research" and to sell the meat, a programme widely criticised by conservationists.

American Effort to Ban Shark Dives

The initial purpose of the bill, called The Access for Sportfishing Act of 2016, was to prevent national parks from trying to protect fish in waters within state jurisdiction, and in June, Senator Bill Nelson, from Florida, added the ban on shark feeding diving in federal waters. The bill specifies that it is all right to feed sharks for the purpose of killing them, but not if you want to watch the shark. Thus it is the motive for the act of shark feeding, rather than the act itself, that is at issue.

Hammerhead, Bahamas
Hammerhead, Bahamas. The great hammerhead—considered endangered by the IUCN Red List—is the largest of the nine hammerhead shark species

Large sharks benefit from marine reserves

Current research has shown that waters off Florida and the Bahamas are important pupping and feeding grounds for several sharks, providing them with the critical habitat required for the conservation of these slow-to-mature ocean animals.

Researchers at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science studied the core home range of 86 bull, great hammerhead and tiger sharks tagged in waters off south Florida and the northern Bahamas.

(Filephoto) Street scene from Mabul island, Sabah, Malaysia

Shark fishing to be banned in Sabah marine parks

The area is home to about 80 percent of Sabah’s shark population, he said, according to Star Online.

The three parks are Tun Sakaran marine park in Semporna; Tunku Abdul Rahman marine park here; and the proposed Tun Mustapha marine park in Kudat.

The minister said the state had no choice but to use state laws to protect Sabah’s shark population when a request to the Federal government to amend the Fisheries Act to protect marine creature was rejected.

Florida power plant closures may evict manatees

If current indicators follow suit, a large percentage Florida’s manatees may soon need a new winter home. Over the next 10-20 years, the state’s coal-fired power plants are expected to close. As 60 percent of the manatee population utilize the plants for refuge during winter, many will be forced to move to the natural springs such as those on the Crystal River. The springs’ constant 74-degree temperatures could soon be overcrowded with the gentle giants.

Manitoba works to save beluga population

Manitoba has released a plan to preserve the world's largest beluga population while numbers remain abundant. "We have a healthy population, but the environment is changing," said Manitoba Conservation Minister Tom Nevakshonoff. "It's a rare opportunity when you can take something that's not in distress and focus on it now to preserve that rather than doing damage control.