'Paradise' for sharks in Southeast Asia

Indonesia has established sharks, sea turtles and stingrays around an archipelago in the eastern part of the country.

Raja Ampat Islands of Indonesia. Photo: kararu.com.

The reserve - with a water surface of 46,000 km ² - surrounds the Raja Ampat Islands, AFP said. The archipelago is located in the Coral Triangle area in Southeast Asia and is one of the most diverse areas in the world. Sharks, rays, dugongs, sea turtles in protected areas are protected. Vandalism activities such as fishing by landmines, trade in ornamental fish are prohibited.

'Sharks play an important role in the development of fish and coral reefs. Even so, up to 73 million sharks are killed every year, resulting in a 90% drop in the number of sharks. People mainly kill them for shark fin soup ', Shark Savers shark conservation organization and Misool Eco Resort - two sponsors for the reserve - declared.

A shark in Indonesia. Photo: dicts.info.

Peter Knights, executive director of the WildAid conservation organization in the US, said that three-quarters of shark species around the Raja Ampat Islands are in danger of extinction.

' People kill sharks to get fins, kill rays to take and catch rare and precious coral fish to keep in the glass tank ', Knights said.

Yohanis Bercmans Rahawaryn, head of the Raja Ampat archipelago's fisheries and marine management agency, does not know the exact number of sharks in the new reserve, but he asserts that their numbers are decreasing over the years. by.

' Divers rarely see big sharks around the Raja Ampat Islands. That shows that their numbers are very low , 'he explained.