More local Media in Fijian!

Fltr: Arthur, Papa and Nani on yesterday's Talk Back show.

Bravo Papa, Nani and Arthur!

I'm being told that yesterday's Talk Back show has been a huge success, that the phone calls never stopped coming and that there will be more programs in Fijian about Sharks in the near future. In fact, today MaiTV have already taped a program with Papa that will be aired in Fijian this Tuesday, July 19 on Misiki at 8pm.

And that's not all.
The team will be answering questions on one more upcoming Talk Back show, this time on BulaFM, and Fiji TV will be featuring Papa in one of their Fijian programs in early August.
I'll be posting details as I get them, hopefully this time well ahead of the fact.

Apparently, the questions have so far revolved about the following.
I'm obviously neither part of Government who will draft the final law, nor am I in any way intimately involved in the process (Government, Pew and CORAL are) so take this with a grain of salt - but I am privy to some of the discussions and can say this much.

• Will the legislation effect the local subsistence fishermen. The press release mentions that locals can still consume shark meat and my understanding is that this applies to Canacana fishing i.e. personal consumption only. Any commercial fishing and any trading will be banned.


• What about the enforcement, especially the poaching in the outer islands. The law is targeting the commercial trade and if that trade stops, there will be no more buyers and exporters and the poaching will stop as well.


• What about the danger of Sharks to the spear fishermen. When you enter the ocean, you enter the realm of the Sharks and if you spear fish, you may indeed attract Sharks. Those Sharks are interested in the speared fish, not you. It is good policy to get any speared fish straight out of the water (into the boat or into a floating bucket) and if a Shark wants your fish, give it to him and leave. Also, if you encounter very large Sharks, it is prudent to leave and try your luck somewhere else - this is their ocean, not yours!

Again, we at BAD are in no way official spokesmen or the like.
It is safe to say that that as the legislation is being drafted, Government and the NGOs will undoubtedly engage in a vigorous awareness campaign and that all questions will be answered to everybody's satisfaction well before the law comes into effect. That's what has always happened in the past and I have no doubt that it will happen in the future.

Please keep watching this space for details of the upcoming programs.
Vinaka!