AR-News: Seychelles, Sharks hurty by swordfish "protection"

[Barry Kent MacKay]

[Note:  While we might applaud decline in swordfish catches in the Indian
Ocean, effects of high levels of cadmium on swordfish is ignored in this
article, and of course it is, as the article does say, a negative for
sharks. -- BKM]


29 Apr 2004 10:58:55 GMT
Seychelles says EU swordfish alert hurt industry

By George Thande

VICTORIA, April 29 (Reuters) - A European Union health warning on swordfish
from Seychelles has forced many fishermen from the islands to switch to
hunting sharks to make a living, a Seychelles official told Reuters on
Thursday.

The EU issued a health directive against exports of swordfish from the
Indian Ocean archipelago in mid 2002, claiming the fish contained high
levels of the heavy metal cadmium and therefore harmful to human health.
Seychelles fishermen dispute the EU warning claiming the cadmium found in
swordfish in the Seychelles waters is no more dangerous that cadmium content
in chicken, lamb or pork.

"Our swordfish has between 0.3 and 0.5 parts per million (ppm) of cadmium,
and therefore falls within the 1.0 ppm limit set for these other products
like chicken kidneys, pork and lamb," Randolf Payet, managing director of
the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), told Reuters in an interview.
"The EU warning has had a major impact on local fishermen. Many have now
resorted to fishing sharks for fins to make money."

Seychelles earned 18 million rupees ($3.27 million) from artisanal fishing
including swordfish in 2002, but revenue fell to 8.7 million rupees in 2003
after the EU warning.

The islands' fishing industry, the bulk of which is tuna fishing, is one of
the mainstays of the economy, generating 920 million rupees ($167.27
million) in 2002.

Payet says fishermen specialising in sword fishing have attempted to
diversify into tuna fishing but due to lack of equipment and experience,
this has not been successful.

The SFA is hoping to train them how to catch tuna and also lobby the EU to
recognise that cadmium from swordfish is no more dangerous than that found
in many other food products.

Shark fin soup is served in many restaurants and hotels in Seychelles and
local fishermen are increasingly catching sharks just for their fins and
dumping the carcasses in the water.

The increase in the practice is a worrying change for conservationists.
"Sharks are (a) long-life species with a low fecundity, spawning late and
getting only one or two offspring," says Payet. "Sword fishing was better
due to the higher populations found in the seas."

Swordfish fetches relatively high prices on international markets as many
traditional fishing grounds are rapidly nearing depletion. In particular the
Mediterranean Sea and the northern Atlantic are facing rapidly reducing
stocks due to overfishing.

Swordfish fisheries in the southwestern Indian Ocean are still modest
compared to the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, mostly due to lack of modern
vessels and infrastructure.

____________________________

Barry Kent MacKay
Canadian Representative
ANIMAL PROTECTION INSTITUTE
www.api4animals.org