SASC/SOSSC public statement on Bronzie Festival

The Two Oceans Angling Club (TOAC) will be hosting its first annual Bronzie Festival on December 11th. TOAC invited SASC and the Save Our Seas Shark Centre (SOSSC) to participate in this festival, which marks the first time many of us local scientists, conservationists, public volunteers and anglers will apply a co-management approach to recreational fisheries in the False Bay area.

In light of concerns expressed by several members of the public SASC and SOSSC deemed it necessary to issue a public statement on our participation in this angling competition.

Please read the statement below if you would like further information in this regard. Comments and queries are welcome, so feel free to contact us.

Statement from the South African Shark Conservancy (SASC) and the Save Our Seas Shark Centre (SOSSC) regarding participation in the first annual Two Oceans Angling Club Bronze Whaler Festival, to be held on December 11^th, 2010

Issued on December 7, 2010

SASC and SOSSC were invited to participate in a bronze whaler shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus) angling competition by the Two Oceans Angling Club (TOAC) – organisers of the event – on Saturday, December 11, 2010. The purpose of participating in said event is threefold:

1) to collect biological, genetic and population dynamics data on bronze whaler sharks to inform species-specific conservation and management measures in South Africa and internationally;

2) to engage in a public forum with recreational shark anglers and promote cooperation and collaboration between primary resource users and the research and conservation communities;

3) to monitor shark angling ethics (e.g., handling, fishing methods) to better inform primary resource users and the scientific community at large on best-industry practices to mitigate and eliminate harmful (or perceived harmful) angling practices.

SASC and SOSSC recognise the growing value of collaborating with resource users to promote the sustainable co-management of fisheries as tabled in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Association Technical Guidelines on the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) (FAO Technical Guidelines 2003) and South Africa’s Marine Living Resources Act (MLRA 1998).

The FAO Technical Guidelines on the ecosystem approach to fisheries (FAO 2003) define the EAF as follows: An ecosystem approach to fisheries strives to balance diverse societal objectives, by taking into account the knowledge and uncertainties about biotic, abiotic and human components of ecosystems and their interactions and applying an integrated approach to fisheries within ecologically meaningful boundaries.

However, SASC and SOSSC recognise that many elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays) are inherently susceptible to overexploitation, which includes potential mortalities resulting from recreational angling activities. Although post-capture mortality rates of elasmobranchs have not been quantified in South Africa, it is likely that improper treatment and handling of animals result in unnecessary mortalities and undue harm – causing long-term suffering and potentially death - to captured sharks.

It is a guiding principle of both organisations to promote the sustainable use and conservation of marine resources, but both organisations are in agreement that unsustainable and unethical fishing practices cannot be condoned if viable alternatives exist.

In light of the aforementioned, SASC and SOSSC publicly state that, if any perceived deliberate unethical and unsustainable fishing practices are witnessed as being employed by participants during the Bronzie Festival, we will be hesitant to contribute to, or take part in, future events of this nature. This includes support by way of use of organisational logos, scientific services and/or promotion of the annual event as a conservation-conscious undertaking.