General News

Hong Kong Customs seizes over 1.2 tonnes of suspected scheduled dried shark fins

Hong Kong Customs seizes over 1.2 tonnes of suspected scheduled dried shark fins

Press Release Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department 18 February 2023 — — — — — — — — Hong Kong Customs yesterday (February 17) seized over 1.2 tonnes of suspected scheduled dried shark fins of endangered species with an estimated market value of about $40 million at Hong Kong International Airport. Through risk assessment,

New shark species added to Bermuda’s fish fauna

New shark species added to Bermuda’s fish fauna

A new species of shark, the Ragged-tooth shark (also known as the Small tooth sand tiger and, scientifically, as Odontaspis ferox), has now been officially added to list of fishes found in Bermuda waters. As often happens, the first encounter with this species was at the end of a fishing line. A commercial fishing vessel,

New Zealand: Shark plan needs teeth to save 1000+ sharks

New Zealand: Shark plan needs teeth to save 1000+ sharks

Media Release Forest & Bird, NZ 09 August 2022 — — — — — Forest & Bird today welcomed the release of a draft National Plan of Action on Sharks, which provides a constructive platform for protecting the diversity of sharks that live in Aotearoa New Zealand’s waters.  In particular, we were pleased to see

‘Sharkskin’ makes planes faster, smoother, cheaper

‘Sharkskin’ makes planes faster, smoother, cheaper

Press Release Australian National Fabrication Facility 15. June 2022 — — — — — — — — — A sharkskin-inspired coating on planes will save thousands of dollars per flight and slash carbon emissions, says Aussie start-up, MicroTau. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) announced a $5.6 million investment in MicroTau’s ‘sharkskin’ technology developed with

California Legislation: Prohibition on use of attractants for White sharks

California Legislation: Prohibition on use of attractants for White sharks

AB 2109 California Assembly Bill 2021-2022 Regular Session White sharks: prohibition on use of attractants. — — — Abstract Existing law makes it unlawful to take white sharks for recreational or commercial purposes except under a permit issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife for scientific or educational purposes or if taken incidentally by

AUS: Fremantle Council to consider shark fishing law

AUS: Fremantle Council to consider shark fishing law

Media Release City of Fremantle, Western Australia 07 February 2022 — — — — — — — Fremantle Council will this week consider introducing measures to ban shark fishing at popular swimming beaches. On Wednesday the council’s Finance, Policy, Operations and Legislation Committee will vote on whether to initiate an amendment to the City of

DOC investigates cause of death of great white shark death in Auckland

DOC investigates cause of death of great white shark death in Auckland

Media Release Department of Conservation (DOC), New Zealand 30 November 2021 — — — — — DOC is urging people to come forward with information after a great white shark was found dead at Omaha beach, North of Auckland, earlier this month. Department of Conservation (DOC) Investigations Team Lead Dylan Swain says the animal was

European Commission welcomes landmark agreement on the conservation of North Atlantic Shortfin Mako shark

European Commission welcomes landmark agreement on the conservation of North Atlantic Shortfin Mako shark

News Release European Commission 24. November 2021 — — — — — — The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) reached yesterday afternoon a landmark agreement on a Recommendation on the conservation of North Atlantic stock of shortfin mako shark. Welcoming the agreement, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, said:

Southland fishing company sentenced for shark finning and repeatedly set netting in marine reserves and dolphin protection zones

Southland fishing company sentenced for shark finning and repeatedly set netting in marine reserves and dolphin protection zones

Media Release Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand 12 November 2021 — — — — — — — — A Southland fishing company has been fined $18,000 and their boat skipper $6,750 for set netting in marine protected areas, along with removing fins from sharks and discarding the bodies at sea. In addition to the

Fossilized shark teeth seized by customs in Philippines

Fossilized shark teeth seized by customs in Philippines

Press Release Philippine Bureau of Customs 06. September 2021 — — — — — — — BOC Cebu-Subport of Mactan Seizes Over Four Kilograms of Shark Teeth The Bureau of Customs Cebu-Subport of Mactan seized last Tuesday, August 31, a parcel containing 4.98 kilograms of extracted Shark Teeth misdeclared as Plastic Components for Fashion Accessories.

Ontario-based trading company fined $60,000 for illegally importing fins of threatened shark species

Ontario-based trading company fined $60,000 for illegally importing fins of threatened shark species

Press Release Government of Canada 01. September 2021 — — — — — — — — Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is committed to protecting Canadian and foreign species of wild animals and plants that may be at risk of overexploitation due to unsustainable or illegal trade. On August 31, 2021, S L Dried

Taiyo Micronesia Corporation Criminally Charged for Unlawful Removal of Shark Fins

Taiyo Micronesia Corporation Criminally Charged for Unlawful Removal of Shark Fins

Press Release Government of the Federated States of Micronesia 23 June 2021 — — — — — — PALIKIR, Pohnpei—The Taiyo Micronesia Corporation (“TMC”) is a joint venture company between a Japanese fishing company, Taiyo A & F Corporation, and the National Fisheries Corporation (NFC) of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). TMC has a

3.3 tonnes of shark fins seized in Hong Kong

3.3 tonnes of shark fins seized in Hong Kong

Press Release Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department 8 June 2021 — — — — — — — Hong Kong Customs seizes over three tonnes of suspected scheduled dried shark fins Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 7) seized about 3.3 tonnes of suspected scheduled dried shark fins of endangered species with an estimated market value of about

Great white shark meat seized in Tauranga case

Great white shark meat seized in Tauranga case

Press Release Department of Conservation, New Zealand 01 June 2021 —- —- —- —- —- The meat and liver of a great white shark have been seized by DOC following a search warrant at a residential address in Tauranga. A man who lives at the address is now assisting DOC investigators with their enquiries. The

Ireland: Legislation introduced make basking sharks a protected species

Ireland: Legislation introduced make basking sharks a protected species

News Release Social Democrats, Ireland 13 May, 2021 — — — — — — Basking sharks are one of our most treasured species, but unfortunately Irish governments have never protected them Social Democrats TD, and Spokesperson for the Environment, Jennifer Whitmore has today introduced a Bill to the Dáil to make basking sharks a protected species.