While the management of shark risk has mobilized Reunionese associations and authorities for more than 3 years, Paul Watson was questioned by Néoplanète on the measures implemented in Reunion Island.

“As long as these devices are not lethal to sharks, we have no problem with that. Killing sharks is something we do not accept under any circumstances,” Sea Shepherd founder said in the issue. 42 of the environmental magazine.

The activist considers sharks as “predators whose role of cleaners and managers of marine life is essential for biodiversity.” “If we kill them, we are really killing our oceans, and we cannot live without an ocean,” he says.

“Killing them is not the solution”

The former member of Greenpeace took advantage of the platform which is offered to him to criticize part of the surfing community activating for more withdrawals: “surfers who complain about sharks generally represent a minority.” The Canadian quotes in particular a sentence pronounced by the American champion Kelly Slater: “if you are afraid of sharks, stay out of the water, you have nothing to do there.”

“In my opinion, a surfer who is afraid of sharks is a coward and shouldn’t surf anyway. I’ve swam with great white sharks, tiger sharks and bulldogs, and I’ve never felt threatened. you understand their behavior, you will not have a problem “, justifies the

While the prefect Dominique Sorain announced Thursday during the C4R that he wanted to protect reef sharks, Paul Watson was more subversive in his remarks: “sharks are a very, very important component of our ecosystem – much more important than people who go surfing or swimming – and we have to protect them. Killing them is not the solution. “

The original article in French

Sea Shepherd founder talks about Reunion Island devices

www.ipreunion.com

The next day Talon Bishop a 22-year-old female was fatally attacked by a shark in Reunion

Two months later Élio Canestri a 13-year-old boy was fatally attacked by a shark in Reunion