Sharks, rays conservation in Sabah should meet social objectives

Policies pertaining to the conservation of marine life and fisheries, including sharks and rays, in Sabah must meet the state’s social and economic objectives apart from biological and ecological expectations.

Sabah Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Junz Wong said effective conservation and management efforts of sharks and rays should bring economic benefits to the local community.

“Policies on marine and fisheries should be based on important values and should be formulated in a transparent manner, stressing on the active involvement of all sectors, including local community groups.

“Moreover, all policy strategies should further translate into technical policies and management development, including species conversation issues,” he said at a forum on sharks and rays in Kota Kinabalu today.

Wong said his ministry through the State Fisheries Department was fully committed to managing fisheries in Sabah water, including the conservation and management of sharks and rays.

He said this included the state government’s involvement in national, regional as well as international initiatives, such as data collection on shark landings and training in taxonomy and biology of the marine life.

- Bernama