Ecobreves – VENEZUELA: Rescuing Nurse Sharks

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

CARACAS, Feb 14 2005 (IPS) - Ten small nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) whose mother was sold by fisherman were rescued off Venezuela's Margarita Island by scientists from the Shark Research Center. ''They are in good condition. This species is resistant to handling and that is an advantage for conducting studies,'' researcher Rafael Tavares told Tierramérica.

In his opinion, populations of other species, like the blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) and the blacknose shark (Carcharhinus acronotus) have decline in the southeast Caribbean due to overexploitation.

There are no restrictions on commercial shark fishing in Venezuela, and the young ones are in high demand for some traditional dishes. ''It is common to see pregnant female sharks caught, particularly during the mating and birth seasons,'' said Tavares.