World's First Shark Sanctuary in Palau

The world's very first shark sanctuary was announced by the president of Palau at this year's United Nations General Assembly in New York. President Johnson Toribiong proudly declared his nation the world's first protective sanctuary for endangered sharks. With dedication and devotion to the cause of protecting sharks from fishing, new calls to end stingray fishing are being sought as well. In making Palau a safe haven for both of these hunted creatures the hope of this nation is to prevent the extinction of these endangered species. Palau officials are determined to implement bans on fishing for the endangered species so ultimately to prevent them from disappearing from the territorial waters altogether. President Toribiong stated at the convention, "Palau will declare its territorial waters and extended economic zone to be the first officially recognized sanctuary for sharks."

The announcement was met with praise by fellow attendees and will no doubt please conservation activists all over the world. The Pacific island of Palau is the perfect location for such a sanctuary. The tiny island's location allows for some 240,000 square miles falling under the shark sanctuary protected radius. The move to create such an expansive sanctuary also seeks to deter the deadly sport known as shark finning. Many sharks are hunted by commercial fisherman solely for the lucrative shark fins that are then sold at a premium to created medicinal medicines or culinary delicacies such as shark fin soup. Many fishermen simply remove the fins from the unassuming shark and discard the shark carcass into the waters without a care. Shark finning is big business for those who make the dangerous trek to obtain the fins of shark. A call to ban the practice altogether will send shock waves of sorts through the industry of shark fin production.

China will be hardest hit by both the sanctuary and shark finning bans as the market value for this rare commodity is approximately £6,000 per kilo. President Toribiong is calling for the banning of shark finning to be worldwide and a global moratorium is being demanded to ensure shark finning ends permanently. In total the sanctuary expects to protect some 130 species of shark which include the leopard shark, oceanic shark, white and black tip reef shark, and hammerhead shark. Stingrays also fall under the protection of this very poignant sanctuary. As the world's first protectors of the endanger species the tiny pacific island of Palau is likely to become a huge draw for tourists wanting to get a closer look. The benefits of such a sanctuary will by far out weigh any potential influx in tourism as the preservation of environment and specifies is paramount in Palau.