Kakdwip (South 24 Pa-rganas), Sept. 15: Tigers are disappearing and elephants are being hunted for their ivory. In Sunderbans, another wildlife threat looms large. An investigation by this newspaper has revealed rampant poaching of sharks and dolphins in the area. Killed either for their meat, skin or parts known to possess aphrodisiac qualities, sharks are fast disappearing from the Sunderbans ecosystem. There are many illegal godown-cum-processing units at Kakdwip, a small island in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
The racket was revealed when a shipment, comprising 41 sharks, was impounded on May 18 from a trawler at Namkhana in the same district. Fourteen people were arrested in the case.
Sharks are killed round the year, but face the highest risk during the months of April, May and June — traditionally lean months for fishing. Poached sharks are crammed into illegal godowns in Kakdwip, where crude equipment are used for removing the skin and rustic choppers used for slicing. There is big demand for powdered shark parts that are said to carry aphrodisiac qualities in the Asian markets. Local buyers buy the sharks for sale in hotels as an alternative to costly seafood and the remaining haul is smuggled to international markets or to Kerala.
Deals are struck over phone and the forest officials are totally clueless about the culprits. According to Kakdwip Fishermen’s Association secretary Tejen Das, local fishermen are not associated with the trade. "Shark meat is not sold openly. It is sold in the guise of Bhetki or sardines which are sent out of the state by road. Raw meat bought at low rates is sold at a much higher price after processing. Even shark skin and its various parts are sold in international markets."
Tight-lipped locals, however, revealed that endangered shark species like Guitar Fish, Hammerhead, Dogfish, Tiger shark and Gangesh shark — found in the Bay of Bengal and Sunderbans rivers — are common poaching targets. The shark poaching trade flourishes with the help of local goons and politicians, according to local residents.
When asked to comment, Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve director A.K. Raha said: "We have received a tip-off about the trade and are working on busting the racket. Punishment in these cases amounts to a minimum of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25,000."
