Action Plan for Sharks In SabahPrepared by

Prof. Steve OakleyTropical Research and Conservation Centre

Kota Kinabalu, SabahProf.mauri@rocketmail.com

May 2011

The Action Plan for Sharks in Sabah is an update and an expansion on the National Plan of Action for Sharks 2006i. The Malaysia NPOA-Sharks was a response to a UN & FAO request 2001 for a regulated sustainable shark fishery. The threats to sharks in Sabah were recognised in 1997 when shark landings increased by 180% in two years but no conservation measures were developed. The NPOA followed the objectives of FAO IPOA1-Sharks. The intentions of the study were good and excellent work was done especially in Borneo on identification and taxonomyii. The NPOA found several unique isolated shark species most of which were immediately classified as seriously endangered. By 2006, when the NPOA-sharks was published, the speed at which shark populations were being depleted far exceeded the conservation actions proposed in the NPOA-sharks.

Other countries have recognised this global issue and have acted. In the past 2 years, six countries have enforced complete bans on shark fishing, and more are on the way. The existing protection for sharks in Sabah is too little or simply ineffective. Coastal shark populations in Sabah have fallen by 98%. Surveys in 2010 of over 2700h failed to see any sharks. There are no sharks in most of the Marine protected areas of Sabah. The protected sawfish and Borneo River Sharks have not been seen for many years. Fishermen slaughter protected whale sharks on the beach in front of tourists. None of these images are good for Sabah or Sharks.The situation is critical. It is the hope of this Action Plan that by acting now it may not be too late to reverse the trend and protect sharks.

1 FAO IPOA Food and Agriculture Organisation International Plan of Action

i NPOA sharks http://seafdec.org.my/seafdecv4/images/pdf/buku_mfrdmd/Malaysia_npoa_shark.pdfii