Lapu-Lapu mulls shark ordinance

CEBU, Philippines - Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza said the city is planning to make an ordinance that will ban any transactions involving shark meat.

The mayor said there is a move from City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council prohibiting the public from capturing sharks of all kinds, as well as from selling and buying them.

Radaza took inspiration from the recent banning of the capture and sale of thresher sharks after a notable decrease in their population had been noted.

With the shark species dwindling down due to the frequent catching of sharks for their meat and fins, Radaza said making an ordinance is their last resort to minimize the killing of this kind of marine creatures.

Radaza also said the Lapu-Lapu City government is coordinating with Cebu Environment and Natural Resources Office on the shark meat interception by the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office - Task Force Kalikasan last week in Barangay Bankal.

Earlier, provincial legal officer Orvie Ortega said they 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.