A haven for sharks

From Andy Revkin:

The Pacific island nation of  Palau has declared all of its waters a sanctuary for sharks. The archipelago, famed among biologists and divers for its rich marine life, has seen increases in illegal shark fishing, driven by the high prices paid for shark fins in China.

...

Given that, for the moment, Palau has only one enforcement vessel to patrol an ocean zone a bit smaller than Texas, the challenge of turning a ban from rhetoric to reality remains. But Palau is getting significant support from private groups, particularly the Pew Charitable Trusts, which worked with groups and government officials in Palau to create the sanctuary plan.

Granted, a single boat to patrol an area the size of Texas isn't much, but I am delighted to see a government step forward to declare protection of sharks as a goal. They probably won't stop the harvest, but at least they've made it illegal, and maybe they'll reduce it.