5 Jun 2013

More calls to end shark finning in Tonga

11:01 am on 5 June 2013

Tonga's Voyaging Society has called for an end to the practice of killing sharks for their fins.

Kalauni 'o Tonga Voyaging Society president Aunofo Havea says the organisation is horrified that shark finning is taking place in their local waters.

The society is based in the Vava'u island group, where Neiafu harbour is located.

Mr Havea says seeing shark fins displayed at a local supermarket in Neiafu is heartbreaking and he recently went to the supermarket to ask the owners to remove the fins.

Pacific Voyagers, who are based in Auckland, New Zealand, also joined the call to stop shark finning in the Pacific.

Spokesman Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr says if people knew how millions of at-risk sharks were savagely killed each year for their fins and left to die, they would join the protest.

Tonga does not yet have specific legislation protecting sharks from shark finning.