台灣通過法律保護鯊魚

為了避免獵鯊取鰭，台灣將禁止漁民把肢解過的鯊魚帶上岸。

取鰭是將鯊魚的魚鰭砍掉之後再把魚丟回海裡任其死亡。魚翅是一道昂貴的佳餚，可是相較之下剩下的魚體就沒有價值了。

台灣漁業局正要實施一項新規定，強迫漁民保持捕獲鯊魚的完整性直到抵達港口。違反規定的漁民將要面臨罰鍰或是吊銷捕撈許可證。

漁民現行的作法是在海上肢解鯊魚，然後分開包裝每個部位。這樣做可以讓漁獲保持新鮮，讓漁民賣得好價錢。漁民也抱怨若要強行保留整隻鯊魚的完整性，勢必會佔掉船上寶貴的儲存空間，這些空間可以用來裝更多有價值的漁獲。

台灣將是第一個實行這個規定來保護鯊魚的亞洲國家，漁業署長沙志一說。漁業署已經派遣超過30名官員到全國主要的港口加強對新法的意識，新規定將在2012年或2013年實施。

(LOCAL)Taiwan Law Passed to Protect Sharks

In an effort to prevent finning, Taiwan will ban fishermen from bringing in dismembered sharks.

Finning is the practice of cutting the fins off sharks and throwing the animals back into the sea to die. The fins are an expensive delicacy, while the rest of the fish is comparatively worthless.

Taiwans Fisheries Agency is implementing the new regulation to force fishermen to keep shark catches intact until they arrive in port. Fishermen who violate the regulation will face fines or suspension of their fishing licenses.

The current practice among fishermen is to cut up the sharks at sea, and pack the parts separately. This allows the catch to stay fresher, allowing them to fetch higher prices. They also complain that being forced to keep the whole shark body would take up valuable storage space in their vessels that could be used for more valuable catch.

Taiwan will be the first country in Asia to implement such a regulation protecting sharks, said Sha Chih-yi, director general of the Fisheries Agency. The agency has dispatched more than 30 officials to major ports around the country to raise awareness of the new law, which will be implemented in 2012 or 2013.