SANDAKAN: The scuba diving industry has brought Sabah over RM500 million in income in a year.
Sabah Fisheries Department director Azhar Kassim said sharks and rays have become one of the main attractions to lure divers to the state.
However, he cited studies by the Marine Research Foundation (MRF) that found about 138,000 sharks and rays had been caught in Sabah between 2020 and 2022.
"In this matter, it is important that there is a balance between the exploitation of sharks and rays by fishermen and the development of ecotourism in Sabah," he said during a recent workshop here with 32 fishermen from here, Beluran, Kota Kinabalu, and Kudat.
The event, dubbed Sabah Sustainable Management of Sharks and Rays, was jointly organized by MRF and WWF-Malaysia.
Akso present were personnel from the police force, maritime agency, Sabah Parks, Sabah Wildlife Department, and Sandakan Municipal Council.
Azhar's speech was read by his deputy director (operations), Lawrence Kissol.
The Fisheries Department, which has control over licensing, also urged other stakeholders such as Sabah Parks to manage conservation areas while enforcement agencies ensure people abide by the laws.
Hoteliers and restaurateurs were also urged to avoid serving shark fins and rays.
For fishermen, they could play their roles in conservation by releasing sharks and rays that are caught as by-catch.
Meanwhile, during the closing, Kissol said Sabah would increase fishing zones to four from the existing three areas.
"We will likely see by next year the establishment of new boundaries and the potential addition of zones to four.
"It is worth noting that among the main factors considered in this renewal is the designation of Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) and the shark ray hotspots in the Kudat district, which have been identified as a result of research conducted by MRF."