DEPENDENCY OF ARTISANAL FISHERS ON SHARKS AND RAYSIN SABAH, MALAYSIA

Abstract

This paper aimed to understand the dependencies and to provide are socioeconomic status of the artisanal shark and ray fishers in Sabah, Malaysia. Sharks are particularly vulnerable to over-exploitation due to their biological characteristics of late maturity, having few young and some species being long-lived. Worldwide, shark populations are in the decline due to unregulated fishing, much of it to meet the high demand for fins, meat and cartilage. Many countries have asked for actions to be taken to stop the decline in shark populations and to help ensure that the list of species threatened by overfishing does not continue to grow. Although the potential for overexploitation of shark and ray stocks is high but catches of sharks and rays may be critical to the economic viability and the socioeconomic welfare of the fisher communities. In Malaysia sharks and rays are mostly caught bycatch in many fishing gears. The socioeconomic details of the fishers were unknown, but it was believe that artisanal fishers relied on sharks and rays caught as additional income and some fishers catch common ray species for local consumption. Accordingly, Malaysia government engaged the collaborative research and it are urgently needed research for Malaysia to get more information because any management decisions could have a major effect on theseartisanal fishers. A case study is undertaken in the districts of Sandakan and Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia, to identify the potential economic and social impacts of the restrictions on shark and ray catching on fishers and their households.