DEAT seizes illegal shark fins off Taiwanese fishing vessel in Cape Town harbour

Officials of the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism (DEAT) raided a Taiwanese fishing vessel in Cape Town harbour at the weekend and seized almost two tonnes of dried shark fins.

The fishing vessel CHIEN JUI 102 has earlier entered port. DEAT officials who went on board laid charges against the vessel’s master and crew of 26 of providing false information about their catch and confiscated the entire catch.

In terms of local regulations the number of fins must match the number of shark carcases found on board any fishing vessel – this is to prevent fishing boats from catching sharks, hacking off the fins and throwing the fish back overboard, often whilst still alive, where they either bleed to death or are attacked by other predators.

Shark fins are considered a delicacy in the Far East where they are used to make shark fin soup.

According to DEAT the Chien Jui 102 had a permit which indicated they had taken 100kg of shark fin, 2.2 tonnes of shark trunk and 2,945-kg of tuna on board. An inspection of the ship however revealed the vessel to be carrying two tonnes of shark fin, which by calculation meant they ought to have had nearly 30t of shark trunk to match.

According to DEAT the Taiwanese vessel will be blacklisted for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and will have to remain in Cape Town harbour until the end of the consequent court case.