Mr Marthinus van Schalkwyk
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
South Africa

Dear Mr. van Schalkwyk:

We are writing to urge you to improve protection of all sharks within South Africa’s territorial waters.

The recent illegal killing of three tiger sharks at the hands of fishermen in the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area (MPA) underscores the inadequacy of current regulations and enforcement of shark protection laws.

Thousands of divers come to South Africa each year from all over the world because it is one of the few destinations left where one can experience sharks up close. The shark diving eco-tourism industry brings millions of Rands of revenue and provides jobs in a country that needs both. Tiger Shark diving in Aliwal Shoal generated an estimated R18 million (USD $2.5 million) during 2007, while White Shark cage diving in Gansbaai generates approximately R289 million per annum (USD $40 million).

What is the value of one shark? From a tourism perspective, each Raggedtooth Shark could be said to be worth R50,000 per annum (USD $7,000) for each of its 40 years or so of life. That equates to R2,250,000 (USD $310 000) over its lifetime. To a fisherman, that same shark will fetch only R1,000 (USD $140) on a one time basis.

A live shark is worth more to South Africa than a dead one.

If the sharks are gone, the divers won’t come.

The value of sharks to the future health of the oceans and to mankind’s own marine food supply is even greater. In areas where sharks have been over-fished to the point of local extinction, the entire marine ecosystem is disrupted because sharks play the leading role in maintaining balance in the food chain. Without sharks, some remaining marine species become too plentiful and others disappear. In the United States, the mid-Atlantic region lost its entire scallop industry in this way.

There are over 200 different species of sharks found in South African waters, a considerable number of which are on the World Conservation Union's Red List of endangered species. Yet, only White Sharks, Whale Sharks and Basking Sharks are fully protected. All other species may be legally caught and killed. Raggedtooth Sharks, Tiger Sharks and Bull Sharks have limited protection within MPAs, but these animals don’t stay within the MPA boundaries. We need better laws to protect sharks more completely, but laws alone will not be enough. Adequate enforcement is also required.

We strongly support the following proposals put forth by the AfriOceans Conservation Alliance (AOCA)

1. Tiger Sharks, Ragged tooth Sharks, Bull Sharks, and Cow Sharks may not, under any circumstances, recreational or commercial, be slaughtered and if caught they must be released - this protection to apply not only in all MPAs but in all South African waters;
2. Hammerhead Sharks are given MPA protection (they may not be caught or landed in all MPAs);
3. Blacktip Sharks, Bronze Whaler Sharks and Dusky Sharks are given protection within the Aliwal Shoal MPA (they may not be caught or landed in the Aliwal Shoal MPA);
4. Scientific research is implemented in order to set sustainable quotas that will ensure the conservation of the Blacktip Shark, Bronze Whaler Shark and Dusky Shark, added to this;
5. The Demersal Longline Fishery may never be allowed to extend beyond East London in order to restrict catches of the Blacktip Shark, Bronze Whaler Shark and Dusky Shark;
6. Drumlines, or any similar baited device that aims to target, catch and/or kill any large shark are declared illegal fishing devices throughout South African waters;
7. The Marine and Coastal Management (MCM)’s compliance department immediately launches tangible measures to adequately enforce laws for currently protected shark species both in and out of MPAs.

These regulations, if enacted and enforced, would make a significant contribution to protecting sharks in South Africa, a vitally important national resource. We thank you for your serious consideration of these proposals.