COLE BAY--Nature Foundation has uncovered numerous shark related products, including shark fin soup, being sold at establishments around St. Maarten in a recent inventory. The effort is part of the “Save Our Sharks” project funded by the Dutch National Postcode Lottery.
The Foundation said in a statement: “Unfortunately, we have found different products containing shark being sold on our island, including shark fin soup, shark steaks, shark liver oil, shark cartilage pills, ray wings and shark oil. There is no accepted scientific evidence showing any positive health benefits of shark fin soup or shark products, like liver oil and cartilage pills.”
The Foundation added that the promotion of these products is a marketing strategy. Studies show that shark has among the highest levels of the toxic methyl-mercury and other dangerous toxins which can cause serious health effects. Even small quantities of shark meat can contain large quantities of poisonous methyl mercury. Warnings are issued especially for pregnant women and young children.
Nature Foundation has been partnering with the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. and the Pew Charitable Trust to find out whether or not the products are made from local St. Maarten Sharks. This is very important, because since October 12, 2011, it is prohibited to wound, catch and/or kill sharks, rays and skates in the territorial waters of St Maarten. “So if genetic results come back positive for sharks caught in local waters, laws were broken,” continued a Nature Foundation statement.
Nature Foundation advises the public not to purchase any shark product and requests stores and restaurants to stop selling any shark product. The Foundation will issue official letters to stores and restaurants in this regard.
As part of the Save our Sharks Project, there is an online petition encouraging decision-makers to increase conservation measures for local sharks and to ban the selling of shark products. The petition can be signed at http://saveoursharks.nl/en/events/petition/.
