French Islands 'declares war' on sharks

Sharks have become public enemy number one in the French Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia after killing seven people in the past five years.

No swimming signs are placed on some beaches in New Caledonia. Photo: AFP

New Caledonia authorities have declared a free shark hunting season in the hope of making beaches safe again. But environmentalists say the local government's shark cull will lead to overhunting and harm marine life, according to AFP .

Residents of New Caledonia, a French overseas territory some 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) east of Australia, are divided between those who want to solve the problem by force and those who urge caution. No one knows exactly what drives sharks to appear in unusually large numbers in the bays around the capital, Noumea, and attack humans in 10 reported incidents since 2018.

Local authorities have been conducting shark-hunting campaigns since 2019, but after closing several beaches as a precaution this year, Mayor Sonia Lagarde has decided to declare war on sharks. Officials say the country's tourism industry is under threat. "We are not against sharks. But we have to reduce the risk," said Romain Paireau, Noumea's secretary general.

Local authorities have targeted tiger and bulldog sharks, among the most dangerous sharks. However, Martine Cornaille, president of the association Ensemble pour la Planete (Together for the planet, EPLP), said the overall loss of harmless sharks was unacceptable. The city has promised to release any bycatch. However, Cornaille stressed that the number of fish killed in the cull of 250 tiger and bulldog sharks since 2019 amounts to a “massacre”. The indigenous Kanak people of New Caledonia also oppose the shark cull, which is sacred to their culture.

Authorities are planning to install a giant sea net to protect a 10-hectare area from shark attacks. The EPLP has filed a complaint against authorities for hunting sharks in the protected area. Despite widespread support from residents, they say they have been unable to arrange a meeting with the authorities.

An Khang (According to Phys.org )

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