The National Aquaculture and Fisheries Authority (Aunap) in Colombia has caused a stir after authorizing, through Resolution 0119 of 2024, the incidental capture of 15 species of sharks (eleven sharks and four rays). This measure, recently announced, has changed the classification of these animals from a hydrobiological resource to a fishing resource, which has generated widespread controversy.
The government objective behind this initiative focuses on the search for more sustainable management and conservation of these species, focusing on protecting human rights related to food and subsistence of Colombia’s coastal communities.
This decision partially modifies a decree stipulated in March 2021 under the administration of then-president Iván Duque and the Minister of the Environment, Carlos Eduardo Correa, which prohibited its capture, even when it was incidental. Among the species affected by this resolution is the silky shark (carcharhinus falciformis)
However, conservation experts and entities such as the International Union for Environmental Conservation have strongly criticized the measure. They argue that, although direct fishing for sharks and rays is still officially prohibited in the country, the regulation of bycatch could facilitate the capture of endangered species vulnerable to overfishing.
According to El Tiempo, naturalist and environmentalist Sandra Bessudo has expressed concern about the implications of this resolution. Ella bessudo highlights the apparent contradiction of the authorities by stating that the measure seeks not to criminalize artisanal fishermen and prevent the commercialization of said species, when in reality the resolution may be contributing to the loss of marine biodiversity. Furthermore, she highlights the lack of concrete actions to include real fishing communities in the protection of their resources.
“What a way to protect marine biodiversity. 15 species of sharks and rays stop being a hydrobiological resource and become a fishing resource, supposedly in order to protect them! What was the criteria for this list? Inadmissible. (…) I don’t see the government of change, the environmentalist government doing anything for the life of marine biodiversity!” said Bessudo.
On the other hand, Aunap and various ministries of the Colombian Government have justified the decision as an effort to gather the concerns of coastal communities and establish sustainable management that does not affect cultural practices. However, the selection of species for this new categorization has raised questions about the technical criteria used, given the inclusion of species such as the hammerhead shark and the silky shark, known to be highly harvested at an industrial level.
“The prohibition of fishing directed at marine sharks and rays is reiterated, as well as the international marketing (imports and exports, re-exports) of the products and by-products of these species. Among the new measures, it was agreed that the entities will work with fishing communities to update the National Action Plan for Sharks, Rays and Chimeras of Colombia (PAN Sharks) as a unique instrument for the conservation management of this group of fish. reads a statement signed by the Ministry of Equality and Equity, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the National Aquaculture and Fisheries Authority.
The measure has sparked a debate about the future of sustainability in Colombian fishing practices and the preservation of marine biodiversity. The resolution highlights the importance of promoting more sustainable fishing, but at the same time raises concerns about possible loopholes that allow targeted fishing of protected species under the guise of bycatch.
In summary, the decision to once again allow bycatch of certain species of sharks and rays has reignited the debate on marine conservation in Colombia, pitting previous conservation efforts against the traditional needs and practices of coastal communities. The next steps of the Aunap in the specific regulation of this measure will be crucial to determine the real impact of this change on the country’s marine conservation policies. With Infobae