French islands 'declare war' on sharks.

After killing seven people in the past five years, the shark species has become the number one enemy in the French archipelago of New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean .

No-swimming signs are posted at some beaches in New Caledonia. Photo: AFP

New Caledonia authorities have declared a free shark hunting season in hopes of making beaches safe again. However, environmentalists argue that the government's order to kill sharks will lead to further hunting and harm to marine life, according to AFP .

Residents of New Caledonia, a French overseas territory located about 1,200 km east of Australia, are divided in opinion, with one side advocating for a forceful solution and the other urging caution. No one knows exactly what is driving the unusually high number of sharks in the bays surrounding the capital, Noumea, and the 10 reported shark attacks on humans since 2018.

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

Local authorities targeted tiger sharks and bulldog sharks, among the most dangerous shark species. However, Martine Cornaille, president of the Ensemble pour la Planete (Together for the Planet, EPLP) association, argued that the overall damage to harmless shark species was unacceptable. The city promised to release any sharks that were mistakenly caught. Nevertheless, Cornaille stressed that the number of sharks killed in the campaign to exterminate 250 tiger and bulldog sharks since 2019 amounted to a "massacre." The Kanak indigenous people of New Caledonia also opposed the shark hunting campaign, considering the sharks sacred in their culture.

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

An Khang (According to Phys.org )

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