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42-651: Sharkwater explores the densest shark hunting populations in the world, exposing the exploitation and corruption of the shark-hunting industry in the marine reserves of Cocos Island , Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands , Ecuador . Stewart travels with Paul Watson and his Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship as they confront shark poachers in Guatemala and Costa Rica. Among the group's experiences are boat confrontations, poachers, police, corrupt court systems, and eventually murder charges. Also, Stewart states how

84-421: A change to large circle-hooks and mackerel -type baits, eliminated much of the sea turtle by-catch associated with the fishing technique. It has been claimed that one consequence of the closure was that 70 Hawaii-based vessels were replaced by 1,500-1,700 longline vessels from various Asian nations, but this is not based on any reliable data . Due to poor and often non-existent catch documentation by these vessels,

126-527: A climate of fear. The port of Puntarenas, as of 2003, only had three inspectors allocated to the inspection of hundreds of vessels and generally only examines about 20% of them. As of 2003, no full-scale government investigation has been instituted into the port of Puntarenas, widely known to be the linch-pin of the illegal Costa Rican shark fin trading industry. In 2007, Costa Rica was again internationally criticized for its handling of sharkfinning. Longline fishing Longline fishing , or longlining ,

168-560: A documentary about the illegal trade in Costa Rica. In response to poor incomes and pressure, local fisherman are forced into harvesting shark fins, despite only getting about one dollar per pound on an average, less than a third of its total retail value. Corrupt politicians are silenced with a fee to ignore government regulations. The practice involves sharks being caught by a horizontal drag line with many baited hooks, known as longline fishing . According to biologist Jorge Ballestero of

210-532: A few years. The film has received 31 international awards. Stewart was working on a sequel film, Sharkwater Extinction , at the time of his death in January 2017. The film was completed by Team Sharkwater, and premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival in September. Rob Stewart's Parents, Brian and Sandy Stewart, said "[the] entire team stayed with it, everybody stepped up. We have people from all over

252-505: A foothold in the market. The Taiwanese and Indonesian mafia operate private docks in the Puntarenas area, notably Inversiones Cruz Dock and Harezan Dock and several others where some 95% of all catches are brought in, transported by truck to San José and flown mostly to Hong Kong . According to the Costa Rican customs adviser Omar Jiminez, at least three boats full of shark fins enter

294-606: A key component in the global finning industry. In May 2003, a young Costa Rican Coast Guard official, Manuel Silva, reported the landing of a Taiwanese fishing vessel with 30 tons of shark fins on board. Not only were the Taiwanese vessels ignored by the four agencies charged with checking incoming cargos but the Costa Rican Fishing Institute (Incopesca) also failed to take action following his report. In 2006/2007, Canadian director Rob Stewart went to Costa Rica and

336-537: A leading processing plant is said to be purchasing raw cartilages from any source in the world to carry out semi or primary processing before exporting it, particularly to the USA. The USA then markets it worldwide in the processed shark cartilage powder form, under four or five brand names. In the 1970s, mass local and reef fishing off the Central America coasts had a profound effect on coastal shark populations throughout

378-471: A single line. This can lead to many deaths of different marine species (see bycatch). Longliners – fishing vessels rigged for longlining – commonly target swordfish , tuna , halibut , sablefish and many other species. In some unstable fisheries , such as the Patagonian toothfish , fishermen may be limited to as few as 25 hooks per line. In contrast, commercial longliners in certain robust fisheries of

420-512: A stand against the trading. A reform bill has been proposed in Congress since the late 1990s in which a law would be passed entailing a prison term of up to two years for any perpetrator involved in the trafficking of fins that have been cut from sharks’ bodies before the catch has reached the dock. In this context, Pretoma has obtained a petition of over 20,000 signatures calling for the suspension of landing permits for foreign fishing vessels. Although

462-512: Is a commercial fishing angling technique that uses a long main line with baited hooks attached at intervals via short branch lines called snoods or gangions . A snood is attached to the main line using a clip or swivel, with the hook at the other end. Longlines are classified mainly by where they are placed in the water column . This can be at the surface or at the bottom. Lines can also be set by means of an anchor, or left to drift. Hundreds or even thousands of baited hooks can hang from

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504-547: Is also incorrectly perceived by some as having high nutritional value, as well as cancer and osteoarthritis fighting abilities. Based on information gathered from the Hong Kong trade in fins, the market is estimated to be growing by 5% a year. In 1998, China imported a reported 4,240 tonnes of shark fins worth US$ 24.7 million, but Costa Rica competed with Japan , Spain , Singapore , Indonesia , Hong Kong , Vietnam , Norway , Ecuador , Peru and Fiji in providing for

546-482: Is also stated that in Costa Rica, one single firm alone processed 235,000 sharks every month to manufacture cartilage pills. Since the late 1980s populations of northwest Atlantic coastal and oceanic shark have dropped by an average of 70%, and in 2003 the World Conservation Union (IUCN) estimated that tens of millions of sharks are finned and discarded at sea every year. However, estimates are muddy given

588-480: Is for manufacture of "Shark Cartilage Powder" or pills as a cure for cancer. The anti cancer claims of such powders marketed in many parts of the world has been discounted by the US Food and Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commissions . In spite of such injunctions, the trade in this powder continues and the shark cartilage powder is still widely marketed as a cancer cure, stated to be selling at US$ 145 per gram. It

630-399: Is now constant publicity in the media in this regard in eastern Asia. Former Costa Rican president Abel Pacheco , a noted environmentalist, and his Taiwanese counterpart, Chen Shui-Bian began a crackdown on shark finning in the early 2000s. However, enforcement is nearly impossible because of corrupt politicians and the terror created by the Taiwanese mafia preventing officials from making

672-501: Is one of the best managed fisheries in the world, according to the UN Code of Responsible Fishing , but has been criticized by others , as being responsible for continuing by-catch of false killer whales , seabirds, and other nontargeted wildlife, as well as placing pressure on depleted bigeye tuna stocks. Commercial longline fishing is also one of the main threats to albatrosses , posing a particularly serious threat to their survival. Of

714-556: Is vigorously controlled by the Taiwanese mafia because of the high value of shark fins in restaurants in the Pacific Rim countries such as Taiwan , Hong Kong and China where Shark fin soup can cost up to $ 100 a serving in top restaurants. Some 95% of shark fin trading activity in Costa Rica culminates in the docks of Puntarenas on the western coast, notably Inversiones Cruz Dock and Harezan Dock , which are often privately run by

756-481: The Bering Sea and North Pacific generally run over 2,500 hand-baited hooks on a single series of connected lines many miles in length. Longlines can be set to hang near the surface ( pelagic longline) to catch fish such as tuna and swordfish or along the sea floor ( demersal longline) for groundfish such as halibut or cod . Longliners fishing for sablefish , also referred to as black cod, occasionally set gear on

798-485: The Costa Rican Sea Turtle Restoration Project (Pretoma), “Costa Rica has become intricately linked to this trade for two reasons: It has the biggest longliner fleet in the hemisphere, and it allows international vessels dedicated to the exploitation and trade of shark fins to land here.” The Taiwanese mafia dominate the shark finning industry in Costa Rica, although Indonesian gangs also have

840-476: The Galapagos to shoot what he thought would be an innocent documentary after sharklife underwater in the film Sharkwater . However, shortly into filming, they stumbled across the Taiwanese mafia, the illegal shark fin trade and, feared for their lives when chased by gunboats. They managed to secretly capture footage of the traders in the film. Today, Costa Rica is one of the world's most important participants in

882-561: The 22 albatross species recognized by the IUCN Red List , 15 are threatened with extinction . The IUCN lists two species as Critically Endangered ( Tristan albatross and waved albatross ), seven species as Endangered , and six as Vulnerable . Albatrosses and other seabirds which readily feed on offal are attracted to the set bait, become hooked on the lines and drown. An estimated 8,000 albatross per year are killed in this way. These activities, however, are not randomly spread across

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924-566: The Americas. FAO initiated action in 1999 to introduce a “Voluntary Plan of Action for sharks.” In 1982, the National Learning Institute of Costa Rica received technical support and financing from the Taiwanese government to modernize its fishing fleet according to Pretoma . This had a major impact on the finning industry in Costa Rica, which subsequently took off in the 1980s (especially after 1986 ). Due to low shark populations on

966-500: The Chinese mainland, fueled by its growing economy and increased wealth, as the economic growth of China has put this expensive delicacy within the reach of a growing middle class. This increase in demand, combined with the importance of this top predator in the ocean, has the potential to significantly alter oceanic ecosystems. The high price of the soup means that it is often used as a way to impress guests or at celebrations. Shark fin

1008-536: The Chinese market. In China, shark fins are increasingly being used in less extravagant items such as cakes, cookies, bread and even cat food. In the South Asian region, use of shark cartilage in preparing soups is considered a health tonic. Hong Kong imports it from North and South American countries, particularly for use in either a cooked format or to prepare boiled soup, as a health fad, by mixing it with herbal supplements. Another large demand for shark cartilage

1050-500: The Taiwanese. The industry in Costa Rica took off from the 1970s as a result of the growth in demand from the emerging wealthy Tiger economies of the Asia-Pacific for shark fin as a delicacy. By the 1990s, the shark fin industry in Costa Rica had become one of the world's most important in shark finning, especially as a major cargo-unloading point for international fleets because of tax laws and government corruption in cracking down on

1092-538: The coasts, the updated vessels could now venture further out to sea and use longline technology to greatly increase their catches. Meeting the increasing demand in the Tiger economies of the Pacific Rim countries for shark fins brought about their economic growth and increased wealth in the 1980s and 1990s. By the late 1990s, Costa Rica had become established as a major cargo-unloading point for international fleets and thus became

1134-477: The early 2000s, the fin trade market's influence on over exploitation of fins was realized, with many countries imposing ban on fishing of these species. Goaded by WildAid's campaigns in East Asia, high-profile politicians and their kin, film personalities, industrial establishments and committed individuals took voluntary “No shark fin” pledge and many personalities hosted banquets with “shark free” announcements. There

1176-521: The fact that the sharks and their fins cross-cut different fishing markets (not to mention that the vast majority of sharks are exploited in the Pacific coast of Costa Rica as opposed to the Atlantic coast). The major environmental problem facing Costa Rican waters by mass shark finning is that the fishermen involved in the practice of killing sharks for their fins pay no attention to the age, gender, size, or even

1218-503: The increasing demand for shark-fin soup in Asia is fuelling an illegal trade in sharks. His expedition is cut short, however, when he is diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis , from which he recovers. Stewart discovers that sharks prevent the overconsumption of plankton by other fish, which moderates climate change . Yet sharks have gone from predator to prey, and while they have survived Earth's mass extinctions , they could be extinct within

1260-495: The number of sea turtles and albatross caught by these vessels between 2000 and 2004 will never be known . Hawaii longline fishing for swordfish closed again on 17 March 2006, when the by-catch limit of 17 loggerhead turtles was reached. In 2010 the by-catch limit for loggerhead turtles was raised, but was restored to the former limit as a result of litigation. The Hawaii-based longline fisheries for tuna and swordfish are managed under sets of slightly different rules. The tuna fishery

1302-463: The opposition to the trading is high and indeed illegal, effectively cracking down on the industry will be difficult as long as law enforcement and monitoring of fishing vessels is slack and corruption and poverty remain. The Taiwanese and Indonesian mafia even run their own private docks in Puntarenas which are known to the government and the Costa Rican police but incoming vessels are rarely inspected in

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1344-465: The ports in Puntarenas every week. Kaohsiung in Taiwan is one of the biggest ports in the world for importing shark fins. They are brought in from overseas and are placed out to dry in the sun on residential rooftops near the port. However, various shark cartilage industries in the country exist, depending on the import of cartilages from other countries. Costa Rica is mentioned as one such country where

1386-447: The sea floor at depths exceeding 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) using relatively simple equipment. Longlines with traps attached rather than hooks can be used for crab fishing in deep waters. Longline fishing is prone to the incidental catching and killing of dolphins , seabirds , sea turtles , and sharks , but less so than deep sea trawling . In Hawaii , where Japanese immigrants introduced longlining in 1917, longline fishing

1428-449: The shark-fin trade. Shark finning in Costa Rica was made illegal in 2012, signed into law by President Chinchilla. There is still a viable illegal market present. In Hong Kong restaurants, where the market has traditionally been strong, Shark fin soup can fetch up to $ 100 a serving in the top restaurants. However, the demand from Hong Kong natives has reportedly dropped, but this has been more than balanced by an increase in demand from

1470-401: The southern winter (when most seabirds are not feeding young), and not discharging offal while setting lines. The Hawaii-based longline fishery for swordfish was closed in 2000 over concerns of excessive sea turtle by-catch, particularly loggerhead sea turtles and leatherback turtles . Changes to the management rules allowed the fishery to reopen in 2004. Gear modification, particularly

1512-498: The species of shark. Young sharks may be killed off, drastically affecting the ability to breed. A further biological complication is that sharks are naturally slow to breed and mature, which makes the possibility of extinction for many shark species in Costa Rican waters increasingly ominous. As far back as 1999, FAO initiated action to introduce a “Voluntary Plan of Action for sharks.” The response, though not spontaneous, received support from 15 countries including Costa Rica. Even in

1554-528: The target species. This can cause many issues, such as the killing of many other marine animals while seeking certain commercial fish. Seabirds can be particularly vulnerable during the setting of the line. Methods to mitigate incidental mortality have succeeded in some fisheries. Mitigation techniques include the use of weights to ensure the lines sink quickly, the deployment of streamer lines to scare away birds, lasers , setting lines only at night in low light (to avoid attracting birds), limiting fishing seasons to

1596-529: The trade. However, there is environmental awareness of the consequences of fin trade exploitation which could result in shark extinction. Prompted by WildAid ’s campaigns, in East Asia , high profile politicians and their kin, film personalities, industrial establishments and committed individuals took voluntary “No shark fin” pledge. In January 2011, British chef Gordon Ramsay spoke of how he and his TV crew were held at gunpoint and soaked with petrol when filming

1638-473: The vast oceans, but rather are highly spatially concentrated. Therefore, the bird conservation lobby should work closely with regional fisheries management organizations to devise and implement targeted interventions aimed at reducing potential illegal longline fishing, which, in turn, will likely have positive effects on albatrosses. A simple device which can be fitted onto longlines, known as Hookpod , has been proposed for mitigation of seabird bycatch; Hookpod

1680-533: The world — cinematographers, filmmakers, really important people — offering to help finish this, and that was really heartwarming." Shark fin trading in Costa Rica Shark fin trading in Costa Rica , or shark finning , is an illegal practice in the country. It poses a serious threat to shark populations besides the organized crime involvement in the practice within Costa Rica . The trade in Costa Rica

1722-443: Was known as flagline fishing because of the use of flags to mark floats from which hooks were suspended. The term "flagline fishing" persisted until local fishing vessels began to use modern monofilament mainline, line setters, and large, hydraulically powered reels, when the term "longline fishing" was adopted. Longline fishing is controversial because of bycatch , fish caught while seeking another species or immature juveniles of

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1764-528: Was rolled out to a total of 15 commercial fishing vessels in New Zealand after a change in regulations in January 2020, with a result of zero seabird bycatch in the first 6 months. Oceanic microplastics pollution is largely caused by plastic-made fishing gear like longline fishing equipment or drift nets , that are worn down by use, lost or thrown away. In the US, a study found that the risk for non-fatal injuries

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