• Palau Shark Sanctuary was founded in 2001 in an effort to end the
annihilation of Palau's sharks as a result of rampant shark-finning at the
hands of foreign long-line fishing vessels licensed by Palau to fish in
their waters. Palau Shark Sanctuary seeks a declaration by Palau
establishing the waters of Palau's Exclusive Economic Zone as a sanctuary
for all sharks.
•"Shark-finning" is the process of catching sharks, cutting off their fins
and throwing the rest of the fish, still alive, back into the ocean to die.
Sharks drown because they cannot swim without fins. The fins are prized
throughout Asia for use in sharks fin soup and supposed medicines.
• Then Palau President Mr. Tommy E. Remengesau Jr., became a key supporter
of the efforts of Palau Shark Sanctuary and in May 2003 he publicly set fire
to shark fins found aboard a foreign vessel caught fishing illegally in
Palau waters; in September 2003 he signed in to law some of the toughest
anti-shark-finning legislation in the world.
In 2004, President Remengesau received an award from Sharkproject naming
Palau as Shark Guardian of the Year.
• Through education and awareness programmes, lobbying and active public
relations Palau Shark Sanctuary supports international efforts to end
shark-finning.
