Hunting for shark
fins and sea cucumbers,
which are sought after as
delicacies in South-east
Asian countries, is on the rise
despite a ban. During raids
by the navy and the
Galapagos National Park
personnel, a total of 57,000
sea cucumbers were captured from fishing fleets in
just one week in the beginning of March.
The raids follow the
government's decision to
enforce the ban more strictly.
However, local experts say
the decision might have
come a bit too late as the sea
cucumbers may have been
already exhausted. 'The
future of sharks also looks
bleak following the likely
inclusion of Ecuador in
the Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation forum. It is
expected to boost seafood
exports such as shark fins to
south Asian countries.
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