E-WASHINGTON, DC - Ngokohlalutyo olutsha lwehlabathi olukhokelwa ngabaphandi kwiYunivesithi yaseBritish Columbia kunye nezinye izazinzulu, ukubukela ookrebe yeyona nto iphambili kwezoqoqosho kumazwe amaninzi, ivelisa i-314 yezigidi zeedola ngonyaka. Icaphula uqikelelo lophononongo lokuba ukhenketho olunxulumene nookrebe lunokuba ngaphezulu kabini kwiminyaka engama-20, luvelisa ngaphezulu kwe-780 yezigidi zeedola ngonyaka, i-Pew Charitable Trusts imemelela ukhuseleko olukhulu kookrebe ngokuchongwa kweendawo ezingcwele kwihlabathi jikelele.
Ukhenketho olunxulumene nookrebe lishishini elikhulayo kwihlabathi liphela, kunye nemisebenzi emiselweyo ubuncinane kwiindawo ezingama-83 kumazwe angama-29. Nangona iindawo ezinjengoMzantsi Afrika, iUnited States, neOstreliya bezisoloko zilawula kweli shishini, ukhenketho lwendalo kookrebe luba lukhuthazo lwezoqoqosho kumazwe angaphaya koLwandlekazi lwaseIndiya noLwandlekazi lwePasifiki. Uphononongo lufumanisa ukuba ukubukela ookrebe kutsala abakhenkethi abangama-590,000 kwaye kuxhase imisebenzi engaphezu kwe-10,000 ngonyaka.
Ukwanda kokhenketho lwendalo kookrebe kunye nexabiso labo kwezoqoqosho kunokukhokelela kumdla ekusekweni iindawo zokugcina ookrebe, abadlala indima ebalulekileyo kwimpilo yeenkqubo zaselwandle. Kwiminyaka yakutshanje, amazwe asithoba—iPalau, iMaldives, iHonduras, iTokelau, iBahamas, iMarshall Islands, iCook Islands, iFrench Polynesia neNew Caledonia—aye adala iindawo ezingcwele ngokukwalela ukuloba ookrebe ngenjongo yokukhusela izilwanyana ezisemanzini azo.
“Kucacile ukuba ookrebe banegalelo kwimekobume esempilweni yaselwandle, nto leyo ebaluleke kakhulu kwintlalontle yexesha elide, yenkcubeko neyemali yezigidi zabantu ehlabathini lonke,” utsho uJill Hepp, umalathisi wehlabathi jikelele wokugcinwa kookrebe ePew. “Amazwe amaninzi anenkuthazo enkulu yezemali yokulondoloza ookrebe kunye neendawo abahlala kuzo.”
Ngokwahlukileyo kushishino lokhenketho olukhulayo lwendalo, ixabiso lokubanjiswa kookrebe kwihlabathi liye lehla, ubukhulu becala ngenxa yokuloba ngokugqithisileyo. Malunga ne-100 lezigidi zeekrebe ziyabulawa minyaka le ngokuyintloko ngenxa yamaphiko abo, asetyenziselwa ukwenza isuphu ye-shark fin, isidlo esidumileyo eAsia.
INTO ONOKUYITHATHA KWELI NQAKU:
- The increase in shark ecotourism and its economic value can lead to interest in establishing sanctuaries for sharks, which play a critical role in the health of marine systems.
- In recent years, nine countries — Palau, the Maldives, Honduras, Tokelau, The Bahamas, the Marshall Islands, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and New Caledonia — have created sanctuaries by prohibiting commercial shark fishing to protect the animals in their waters.
- According to a new global analysis led by researchers at the University of British Columbia and other scientists, shark watching is a major economic driver for dozens of countries, generating $314 million annually.
