A rare photo of a Thresher Shark (Alopias pelagicus) giving birth in the Monad Shoal off Malapascua Island has awed the scientific community and revived calls to protect the important underwater mountain.
The photo taken in 2013 and published in the journal Coral Reef (Coral Reefs, Volume 34, Issue 1) is “the first record of any oceanic species giving birth,” reported the BBC News in an article last January quoting Dr. Simon Oliver from the University of Chester.
Vince Cinches, an ocean campaigner at Greenpeace, said the photo underscores the urgent need to declare the Monad Shoal a shark sanctuary.
“If it’s going to be a sanctuary – it is important for the local governments, national agencies, including local businesses who have profited from Thresher Shark tourism to come together and pool their resources,” he told Cebu Daily News.
He said there is a need “to ensure that the area will be protected from poaching, illegal fishing and all forms of destructive fishing. They will also need to establish the carrying capacity of the shoal and regulate the number of people going there.”
He urged Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, the Provincial Board, the Daanbantayan municipal government and tourism operators to take immediate action.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Daanbantayan may need to conduct more sea patrols to drive away and apprehend illegal fishers.
In September last year, Cebu hosted the first Shark Summit in the country.
Among the agreements reached were resolutions calling for the protection of all species of sharks in Cebu as well as the protection of Monad Shoal.
The Thresher Shark, which is seen daily in the waters of Malapascua, attracts scuba divers from around the world.
Malapascua Island, also known for its powder white beaches, is about 7 kilometers off the northernmost tip of Cebu mainland.
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