‘They're gummy not thresher’: Seized shark meat not covered by law?

CEBU, Philippines - An Australian businessman went to the Task Force Kalikasan office to clarify that the shark meat confiscated Thursday in Barangay Bankal were not of thresher sharks but of gummy sharks.

Daniel Walker said the 1,650 kilograms of shark cutlets that were intercepted along Bankal road were from a gummy species.

Cebu has an existing ordinance prohibiting the sale of sharks but it only covers whale sharks, great white sharks and thresher sharks.

Gummy sharks are slender, grey shark with white spots along the body and flat, plate-like teeth for crushing its prey and are mostly found in the waters of Australia.

Though the City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council admitted they don't have the equipment needed to identify the exact species of the confiscated shark meat, Walker presented documents showing the importation was legal.

Walker said this was the first time they got tangled with such a situation since they have been in the import-export business for almost 12 years in Barangay Marigondon.

He further explained that the gummy sharks came from Australia. They only took the shark fins for making soups.

The remains of the gummy sharks were then sold to an unidentified buyer at the Pasil Public Market in Cebu City for P6,000. The load was transported through the vehicle driven by Federico Cabido with his helper Adonis Dolores, both residents of Pasil.

Orlando Leyson of CFARMC went to the TFK office to inspect the confiscated shark meat and said a thorough laboratory examination of the marine species should be made.

Police are still conducting further probe to trace the origins of the recovered sliced shark meat, as well as the alleged business of the Australian national.

Meanwhile, provincial legal officer Orvie Ortega will wait for a recommendation from Lapu-Lapu City government as to the filing of complaint against whoever may be charged for the incident.

He explained that if the city has its own local fisheries code, then its legislation would be applied. Otherwise, it's up to the city government to endorse the matter to the province's legal office where the provincial ordinance could be applied. — with Michael Vencynth H. Braga (FREEMAN)