SHARK SAVERS "THANK YOU" TO PRESIDENT TORIBIONG

Field Report from Palau Capitol Building, Ngerulmud, Melekeok, Palau, Micronesia, April 16, 2010.

You may recall that Shark Savers fielded two petitions regarding Palau. The first one opposed a bad proposed shark fishing law and the second one thanked Palau for subsequently protecting sharks by creating the national Palau Shark Sanctuary. Shark Savers subsequently created a book consisting of all the signatures and comments collected for presentation to President Toribiong. The book was presented to President Johnson Toribiong of Palau on behalf of SHARK SAVERS by Palau Shark Sanctuary. Here's the report I filed with Mr. Michael Skoletsky, Executive Director of Shark Savers:

Dear Michael:

I met with the President re: Shark Savers' Thank You. Others present were Mr. Ngirai Tmetuchel, Special Advisor to the President and Ms. Bernadette Carreon, Reporter, Palau Horizon (she’ll do a story in local paper which will be syndicated on line) and a few of the Presidents staff.

I gave a brief history / reminder of how Shark Savers answered the call by my organization Palau Shark Sanctuary to rally international support to prevent the undoing of Palau’s landmark shark protection legislation as proposed in Senate Bill 8-44. Shark Savers created an on line petition calling on Palau to block SB 8-44 which resulted in conservation minded people around the world rising to the call. Those messages and petition were already provided to Palau’s President and copied to the Senate, Belau Tourism Association, Chamber of Commerce and others.
Image Above Left:  Copyright Shark Savers; Design Jamie Pollack.

Following the President’s historic announcement at the U.N., Shark Savers again rose to the call and gathered over 1500 signatures on a Thank You note to the President for his ground breaking shark sanctuary announcement and wise leadership in conservation.

I informed the President that I was present on behalf of Shark Savers and Executive Director Michael Skoletsky to hand over the printed and bound “thank you” signatures to him and to extend the deepest gratitude of Shark Savers and the thousands of people around the world who signed the petition and the thank you, for the Presidents Shark Sanctuary announcement at the United Nations General Assembly Meeting in New York, late last year.

I read your letter to the President after which I presented him the award on yours and Shark Savers behalf.

The President was deeply moved. He smiled when I mentioned the on line petition as there is no doubt he “heard the noise” at the time.

He extended his thanks to Sharks Savers and those who signed the petition and thank you note for their positive and constructive contribution to the protection of sharks. He sends his best wishes to you and all Shark Savers and vowed to continue his efforts to fulfill his vision for Palau Shark Sanctuary.

Cheers!
Dermot

IMAGES ABOVE LEFT and BELOW RIGHT:  Copyright Palau Horizon;   Courtesy Palau Shark Sanctuary

Below is the text of the letter from Shark Savers that accompanyied the book:

Dear President Toribiong,

It is with great pleasure that we present to you this book containing the signatures and messages from the many people throughout the world who are grateful for your actions to protect the sharks of Palau.

As you read through the comments in the book, you will notice how greatly moved we all are that you have taken this important and bold action. Palau has become much more than a place in our diving logs, but a place in our hearts, as well.

Sharks are important to us, to Palau, and to the world. After Palau took its pioneering step, the Maldives has joined you in declaring its waters a shark sanctuary. Honduras has placed a moratorium on shark fishing as it considers doing the same. We hope that you have started a trend among the nations that harbor the remaining sharks.

We also thank Palau for taking the lead at CITES to protect shark species from international trade. While we are all disappointed at the lack of progress at CITES this year, we thank you for leading the fight.

Dermot

Palau's Shark Alarm! A story by DATELINE reporter David O' Shea

PALAU'S SHARK ALARM!  By David O' Shea.

I recently joined video journalist David O' Shea, who had just completed his PADI Open Water Diver Certification with Instructor Jim Wilke of Sam's Tours Palau, as he plunges underwater for his very first scuba dive and into the controversy over saving the ocean's top predator. Coincidentally, it was also my very first dive in the newly created Palau Shark Sanctuary following President Toribiong's historic announcement at the United Nations in September 2009.

The teaser for David's story reads: The tiny Pacific nation of Palau has delcared itself the world's first national shark sanctuary. It's in response to the massive plunder of sharks that occurs in its vast territorial waters, part of an estimated 100 million sharks killed each year.  This carnage is being fueled by Asia's rapidly growing appetite for shark fin soup. The sharks are captured, have their fins hacked off and are then thrown overboard to die.

Image copyright Gunther Deichmann

Tiny Palau has warned the world it will protect its natural resources, but with only one patrol boat, can the shark sanctuary ever be enforced? Watch our report and take a look at our photo  gallery of behind the scenes photos and underwater pictures from David's story.

DATELINE is Australia's longest-running international current affairs program presented by George Negus and a team of acclaimed producers and video journalists.

Click Here for David O' Shea's report.

Dermot

A Hero’s Welcome for Palau President Johnson Toribiong.

For Immediate Release:

KOROR, PALAU, 9/28/2009, 7:45 p.m.

A Hero’s Welcome for Palau President Johnson Toribiong.

Palau President H.E. Johnson Toribiong arrived home moments ago to a hero’s welcome at Koror International Airport, Palau, organized by Palau Shark Sanctuary. Dermot Keane, founder of Palau Shark Sanctuary and Managing Director of Palau dive shop Sam’s Tours, was on hand to greet the President and thanked him for declaring Palau a Shark Sanctuary.

 

(L) Dermot Keane, Palau Shark Sanctuary; (R) President Johnson Toribiong

The large welcome committee included grateful members of the Palauan community who greeted President Toribiong with flower leis and loud applause upon his arrival. Palauans are understandably proud of their President who declared Palau as a Shark Sanctuary during his recent address to the United Nations, General Assembly, on Friday, September 25, 2009.

(C): President Toribiong; (R): Sam Scott, Sam's Tours (blue shirt)

Despite his long journey from Washington D.C. to Palau, the President was clearly moved by the warm reception and graciously thanked everyone for showing up to welcome him. Palau Shark Sanctuary once again thanks and admires President Toribiong for his landmark declaration of Palau as a Shark Sanctuary.

Palau Shark Sanctuary was founded in 2001 with a goal of securing a declaration by Palau that the waters of their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are a Shark Sanctuary.

For more information visit: www.sharksanctuary.com or http://www.sharksanctuary.blogspot.com/

All images courtesy Nick Martorano - Ocean Wonders.

Images are approved for use provided credit is noted to:  http://www.oceanwonders.org/

Update: Proposed Shark Fishing Legislation, Palau, Micronesia.

The two controversial Senate Bills (SB8-44 and SB8-50) which propose to undo Palau’s landmark shark protection laws adopted under the previous Remengesau Administration in 2003, are both pending at the Senate Committee on Resources, Commerce, Trade and Development.

SB No. 8-44 which proposes to allow commercial fishing for sharks was introduced on March 5, 2009 and passed 1st reading on that same day.

SB No. 8-50 which proposes to exempt commercial fishing companies from export taxes on fish caught by purse-seining methods for a period of 5 years was introduced on March 26, 2009 and passed first reading on the same day too.

For background on these controversial Bills read earlier posts on this Blog. Visit Palau Shark Sanctuary for more information on shark conservation efforts in Palau at:
http://www.sharksanctuary.com/

According to Senate sources if the committee reports on these proposed Bills in the next session of the Senate which opens tomorrow, the Bills will go to their 2nd Reading.

The shark conservation organization SHARK SAVERS has created an on-line petition where you may register your opposition to Senate Bill 8-44 and commercial shark fishing. Please visit the link below and sign this petition today. Time is of the essence. Please act now!


PETITION: http://www.sharksavers.org/en/get-involved/sign-these-petitions/542-petition%20-to-palau-stop-senate-bill-8-44-on-shark-fishing.html

BLOG: http://www.sharksavers.org/en/blogs/shark-savers-blog.html

Also, please continue to pass the word to others and continue to submit comments to Palau Chamber of Commerce and Belau Tourism Association respectively at: pcoc@palaunet.com and bta@palaunet.com

Many thanks to all who have already acted including professional photographers and environmentalists EDWARD DORSON, TODD ESSICK and GUNTHER DEICHMANN who are among the many concerned individuals who have taken time to submit their comments in opposition to these Bills. These professional photographers have all visited and dived in Palau and know just how important sharks are to Palau’s tourism industry and to the entire marine eco-system. We appreciate their support.

Visit their websites and blogs for more information and fantastic images at:

Edward Dorson: http://dorsonstudios.com/

Todd Essick: http://www.blogger.com/www.essickphoto.com

Gunther Deichmann: http://gdphotonews.blogspot.com/

http://www.deichmann-photo.com/

http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html

Republic of Palau Burns Illegal Shark Fin Catch

On May 6, 2003 Republic of Palau President, Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. and Minister of Justice, Michael Rosenthal set fire to a large catch of shark fins taken from a Taiwanese fishing vessel caught fishing illegally in Palau's waters.

A patrol boat from Palau's Marine Law Enforcement Division captured the Taiwanese vessel “Sheng Chi Hui #7” while it was engaged in illegally fishing for sharks in waters close to the Palau island of Angaur. Upon boarding and inspection of the licensed vessel, large numbers of steel leaders that are used to specifically target the capture of sharks, were discovered on board. The vessels holds were full of shark carcasses many of which had already had their fins removed. Authorities confiscated more than 1,600 pounds of shark fins and over 400 shark carcasses weighing in excess of 10 tons.

Outraged at the continued targeting and destruction of Palau's shark population by Taiwanese fishing fleets and the minimal fines allowed under current Palau laws, President Remengesau ordered the burning of the captured shark fins, over the objections of those who wanted them sold to generate revenue, to highlight the need for Palau Congress to improve laws protecting sharks. “Sheng Chi Hui #7” was fined less than $13,000 for a variety of offenses. Shark fins reportedly sell in Hong Kong for U.S. $180 per pound or more. A staunch environmentalist, Remengesau told those who gathered to witness the bonfire: “Our message is very clear today: We will not tolerate shark fishing in the waters of Palau.”

Dermot Keane, Founder of Palau Shark Sanctuary, and manager of a local dive business also addressed the crowd and urged them to support the passage of a declaration by the Republic of Palau to establish the waters within Palau's Exclusive Economic Zone, as a sanctuary for all sharks within. Palau Shark Sanctuary was founded in Koror, Palau on November 2001, in response to the ongoing destructive practice of “shark-finning” by foreign fishing fleets in Palau's waters. Shark Sanctuary supports itself through sales of its private logo merchandise, donating proceeds to programs and agencies joining them in their fight to save Palau's sharks. “Loss of Palau's sharks threatens not only Palau's underwater environment but also its entire dive industry, a mainstay of Palau's economy” Keane said. “As Palau is internationally recognized among top dive destinations in the world, it is therefore fitting that Palau takes a leadership role in the worldwide battle to end the destructive practice of shark-finning” he went on to say.


Palau Shark Sanctuary goal is to achieve a declaration by the Republic of Palau, perpetually establishing all waters within Palau's Exclusive Economic Zone, as a World Shark Sanctuary offering protection to all sharks within. Keane says he realizes that establishing a World Shark Sanctuary in Palau is a big challenge but believes it is a worthwhile goal nonetheless, and one that will benefit Palau and its economy in the years to come.

http://www.sharksanctuary.com/

Images: Courtesy Ethan Daniels