Bahamas prohibit shark fishing

After Honduras, the Bahamas became the second country in the Caribbean zone to ban shark fishing. The activity is now illegal in the 630 square kilometers that surround the archipelago. The American association Pew Environment Group had led a large campaign around their protection, based in particular on the good old principle that a living shark brings in more than a dead shark. Each year, “shark” tourism brings in more than $ 000 million to the archipelago, and, according to the American association, a single reef shark would bring in some $ 80 million in tourism benefits during its lifetime. .

The diversity of species present in the Bahamas attracts more and more divers: day trips or specialized cruises are multiplying, around flagship species such as the tiger shark or the lemon shark. It remains now, as Bernard Séret said in our pages a few months ago, to ensure that the shark dives are “carried out intelligently”. He said he was “very favorable to ecotourism provided it is done well”. The Bahamian authorities, beyond the protection decision, undoubtedly also now have work to raise awareness among professionals and tourists.