Ten years of Palau's protections inspire global shark moves

A DECADE AFTER Palau created the world’s first shark sanctuary, the long-term effects are becoming clear.

Palau became the world’s first location to ban commercial shark fishing altogether, a move it made in 2009 for an entire nation the size of Texas.

Since some sharks migrate, and biological changes occur over generations, it has taken time to evaluate the effectiveness for the marine ecosystem. Cash at the register came quicker. Diving now generates US$90 million a year in Palau, or 40% of the economy.

Anecdotally, shark numbers are up substantially. Tova Bornovski, who runs the Palau dive shop Fish ‘n Fins with her husband, Navot, says the change means there are multiple sharks seen on virtually every dive.

“You can see schools of juveniles that are over 100, and before it was rare to see a small group,” Bornovski explains. “Numbers have increased for oceanic as well for reef sharks.”

Regular dive visitors to Palau say they, too, can detect the change. Blue Corner is one of the world’s best dive sites thanks to a guaranteed frenzy of shark and fish action. But other sites such as Saies Corner now have even more sharks.

The policy response is even easier to record. Many island nations have followed Palau’s example. They build on Palauan President Tommy Remengesau Jr.’s assertion that in island countries, “the future lies in tourism, not tuna.”

There are now 15 shark sanctuaries globally, protecting a vast swath of the Pacific linking Palau through the Federated States of Micronesia, and on into the Marshall Islands.