The petition will continue until the bill is rejected, according to the petitioners.
Shark Savers initiated the petition.The group has gathered 800 signatures since April 12.The signatories of the petition, are not only advocates for sharks, but many are divers who have visited Palau or plan to. To thousands of divers who love to dive with sharks.“ Palau is one of the few places where they can go. That is recurring revenue for Palau that will disappear if you allow your sharks to be harvested,” the petition said.The Senate bill calls for the repeal of the law against commercial shark fishing.The bill is now with the Senate Committee on Resources, Commerce and Development.The bill would eliminate the protection of sharks in Palau’s waters.The protection against shark was signed into law only in 2004.The new bill even motivates fishermen to land sharks.Senate bill No. 8-44 seeks “to amend Title 27 of Palau’s National Code to allow for the commercial fishing of sharks within Palau’s Exclusive Economic Zone, to impose a tax on the export of sharks and tuna-like species, and for other related purposes.”
