Cebuano students join call to preserve sharks

CEBU, Philippines -  Apart from the private sector, students also joined the call for the conservation of shark species in the province as the first Shark Summit in the country concluded yesterday.

Peter John Mahinay, Associate in Hotel and Restaurant Management student from the University of the Visayas, pledged to help in the campaign for shark protection through social media.

“Mo-submit mi og picture sa Facebook. Then i-promote namo ang shark aron ma-aware sab ang uban,” he said.

Mahinay was one of the students who converged yesterday morning at the Capitol grounds to express their stand for shark protection.

They were wearing hats formed into shark jaw and holding flags with shark images drawn on them while shouting to stop trading and consumption of shark meat.

This, after the Provincial Anti-illegal Fishing Task Force reported that there were fish ball and tempura processors which used shark meat as ingredients.

The two-day Shark Summit in the country kicked off in Cebu on Thursday.

It sought to collate concerns, statuses and updates on sharks conservation in the country as part of the National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks.

For UV students Shafica Abji and Cloi Stephanie Purisima and Ann Venezuela, who also joined the campaign, they vowed to help in raising awareness in the fishing community and to further report illegal activities.

“Ang atong mga fisherman i-aware sila nga mo-support ug di maghugaw-hugaw sa dagat. Di dapat unta mogamit og ilegal (method),” Venezuela said.

Abji said the tourism industry in is promising, and this prompted her to join calls to protect the environment.

“Sharks take a big role in the balancing the ecosystem. So if wala ang shark daghan ang gagmay nga species ang madamay,” Purisima said, adding that consumption and using of shark meat as ingredients should be stopped.

It was reported in a press conference held yesterday that most sharks, as well as rays, have slow growth, late maturity and low fecundity.   —/JMD (FREEMAN)