Jakarta (Greeners) – Easy to find in shallow waters and center of tourist attraction, epaulette sharks or walking sharks in Indonesia is facing serious threats.

Five out of nine walking sharks, as the species wriggling their bodies and pushing their fins to ‘walk’, have been identified in Indonesia. They are easy to spotted just through snorkeling or boats in shallow waters.

“However, because they are so easy to find, its sustainability is under threat. It is why we must not disturb the species while we’re sightseeing in coastal areas. Don’t damage coral reefs and wetlands which are their breeding grounds,” said Victor Nikijuluw, Marine Program Director of Conservation International (CI) Indonesia, in a press release, on Friday (13/01).

READ ALSO: No Accurate Information on Indonesia’s Marine Ecosystem, Scientist Says

Four species endemic to Indonesia are Indonesian speckled carpetshark (Hemiscyllium freycineti), Cendrawasih epaulette shark (H. galei), Halmahera epaulette shark (H. halmahera), and Triton epaulette shark (H. henryi). Another species speckled carpetshark (H. trispeculare) found not only in Aru islands but also northern and western parts of Australia. These walking sharks are known also as bamboo sharks.

Furthermore, Victor said that Indonesian speckled carpetshark, endemic to Indonesia, was found in Raja Ampat in 1824. Meanwhile, H. henryi was found in Kaimana waters and H. galei was found in Cendrawasih Bay, in 2008. The latest finding, H. halmahera was found in Halmahera in 2013.

Based on the study, conducted by CI, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Western Australian Museum and California Academy of Science, the species can only be found in Australia continent, Papua New Guinea, West Papua waters, Halmahera and Aru waters.

These findings, supported by Mark Erdmann and Gerald Allen of CI and Western Australian Museum, following up previous study that stated northern areas of Australia continent, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles in Indian Ocean and Solomon Island in Pacific as the areas of these walking sharks.

Victor said that continuous monitoring in West Papua concluded that walking sharks in grave dangers caused by limited habitat than previously predicted. Consequently, this unique species is prone to threats, including overfishing, oil spill, rising temperature, disasters such as cyclone and tsunami, coastal destruction, reclamation, to unsustainable tourism.

READ ALSO: Weak Protection, Illegal Wildlife Trade Increases in Indonesia

Fahmi, shark expert of LIPI, said that sharks have limited swimming space and dependent on its habitat within certain depth. The species is not able to swim far and has low spread potential. In addition, its reproduction type is placing the eggs in certain substrate to hatch and grow as adult in same habitat.

He added that the findings have been submitted to local government as manager of coastal areas to encourage for more protection of walking sharks as only Hemiscyllium freycineti was protected under Raja Ampat Regional Regulation, issued in 2012, on Ban on Capturing Sharks, Manta rays, and Other Specific Fish in Raja Ampat Waters.

“Currently, walking sharks are captured for decorative purpose and has high selling price in international markets. Some of developed countries even farm them for commercial purposes,” he said. “We need management for these sharks and their habitat so we don’t end up find them in aquariums but none in its original habitat.”

Reports by Renty Hutahaean

Jakarta (Greeners) – Lima spesies hiu dan dua spesies pari manta yang terancam punah kini telah mendapat perlindungan terhadap aktivitas perikanan di pasar perdagangan internasional.

Konvensi Perdagangan Internasional Terhadap Satwa dan Tumbuhan yang Terancam Punah (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna/ CITES) menjelaskan bahwa terhitung sejak tanggal 14 September 2014, lima spesies hiu dan dua spesies pari manta yang terancam punah tidak lagi masuk dalam kategori perdagangan komersil dan masuk dalam daftar Appendix II CITES.

Spesialis Perdagangan Satwa Liar dari WWF-Internasional, Dr. Colman O Criodain mengatakan, bahwa terhitung tanggal 14 tersebut, akan diatur regulasi untuk memastikan tidak ada lagi hiu dan pari manta yang berasal dari sumber yang ilegal.

“Nantinya, regulasi perdagangannya akan diawasi agar tidak mengancam kelangsungan populasi mereka,” ujar Colman dalam siaran pers yang diterima Greeners, Jakarta, Selasa (16/09).

Colman berharap, nantinya regulasi CITES ini tidak hanya tegas dalam penerapannya, tetapi juga mampu mendorong pengelolaan perikanan yang berkelanjutan.

“Jumlah populasi spesies hiu dan pari manta yang langka ini sudah masuk status tidak layak ditangkap lagi karena dibutuhkan waktu pemulihan untuk menyelamatkan spesies-spesies tersebut dari ancaman kepunahan,” katanya.

Untuk jenis spesies hiu dan pari manta yang dilindungi tersebut, lanjut Colman, adalah spesies oceanic whitetip shark, tiga jenis hiu kepala martil atau hammerhead shark (scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, great hammerhead), oceanic manta dan reef manta.

Menanggapi regulasi CITES ini, Wawan Ridwan, Direktur Coral Triangle WWF-Indonesia mengatakan, bahwa pemerintah Indonesia sendiri telah mengeluarkan kebijakan perlindungan penuh terhadap hiu paus, oceanic manta dan reef manta; serta menyusun Rencana Aksi Nasional.

Selain itu, lanjutnya, Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan, melalui Direktorat Konservasi Kawasan dan Jenis Ikan (KKJI), juga berkolaborasi dengan Ditjen Perlindungan Hutan dan Konservasi Alam (PHKA) dalam penyusunan dokumen-dokumen pelengkap dalam pengelolaan perikanan hiu.

“Perlu ada langkah cepat untuk menyusun rencana pengelolaan di tingkat nasional agar penerapan ratifikasi CITES ini dapat berjalan dengan baik dan populasi hiu dapat dilestarikan,” katanya.

(G09)

Pengirim: Yanti Simanjuntak (Lampung) | Lokasi: Gudang Lelang, Lampung

Pada hari Minggu, tanggal 6 Juli 2014, maksud hati ingin membeli ikan dan seafood untuk persediaan makanan, saya dan teman-teman malah menemukan pemandangan tidak biasa ini. Ratusan anak hiu kepala martil dilelang di tempat pelelangan ikan dalam keadaan mati. Saya heran kenapa anakan hiu ditangkap dan dijual bebas, karena setahu saya hiu kepala martil hampir punah. Miris melihatnya..

Save the sharks!