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Olivia Miwil New Straits Times 8 Sep 19; KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is keen to protect sharks and rays in the state�s waters but the problem is the two species of marine life have been a staple food for some locals. A fishmonger of 35 years at the wet market here, who declined to be named, said due to demand from consumers, fisherman continue to net the two species. �I am aware of the move to ban the catching of sharks and rays to prevent both species from becoming extinct. But some people in Sabah including fishermen still consume the meat,� he said, adding sharks and rays were sold between RM8 and RM12 per kilogramme. He however said that the catch involving the two marine species was far less nowadays, compared to three decades ago. �Back then, I used to sell at least a tonne of sharks - guitar sharks and hammerheads in a week. �I remember the biggest shark weighed about 200 kilogrammes. Now the most I get from the suppliers is just 70 kilogrammes and is available only twice or thrice a ...

NABILAH AWANG Today Online 30 Aug 19; SINGAPORE � Food lovers who enjoy a delicacy called �shark head� in Singapore restaurants may want to think again as the animal has just been classified as critically endangered. �Shark head� is the sea creature known locally as the shovelnose ray � also known as the white-spotted wedgefish � and is usually promoted as a dish rich in collagen, which is meant to promote skin elasticity. The creature was added to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Cites meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, ended on Wednesday (Aug 28). The rays can be found in the waters of South-east Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, and the Northern coast of Australia, said Ms Sue Ye, founder of marine conservation group Marine Stewards � whose mission is to protect marine resources by promoting sustainable fishing practices...

Olivia Miwil New Straits Times 27 Aug 19; KOTA KINABALU: It was reported yesterday that Malaysia was among the 40 countries that opposed a proposal to protect certain species of sharks and rays from exploitation. Tabled by Mexico at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference, the proposal which would require ratification this week, would see the marine species no longer being traded unless it can be proven that their fishing would not impact their survival. 102 countries voted in favour of the move. Representing Malaysia at the conference was the Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry. Sabah Shark Protection Association Aderick Chong told the New Straits Times that the state should take the lead when it comes to the protection of endangered shark species in its waters. It was reported that among the newly protected species include mako sharks, wedgefishes and guitarfishes. �Wedgefishes and guitarsharks are easy to identify and (thus) enforceable...

BBC 25 Aug 19; Countries have agreed to strengthen protections for 18 threatened species of sharks and rays, including those hunted for their meat and fins. The proposal was passed at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) on Sunday. The newly protected species include mako sharks, wedgefishes and guitarfishes. A demand for shark fin soup is one of the driving factors in the depleting numbers of sharks in the ocean. The proposal, which was tabled by Mexico and requires ratification this week, means that the species can no longer be traded unless it can be proven that their fishing will not impact the possibility of their survival. The number of sharks killed each year in commercial fisheries is estimated at 100 million, with a range between 63 million and 273 million, according to The Pew Trust. Makos, the fastest shark species, have almost disappeared completely from the Mediterranean and numbers are diminishing rapidly in the Atlantic, Northern Pacific a...