[ad_1]
A total of 17 shark carcasses were found in a clandestine garbage dump in the Antofagasta commune. The finding of the specimens, without heads, caused an alert in the area and authorities are now trying to find the person or persons responsible for this fact.
Up to the upper area of the Industrial District of Antofagasta, near the Chanida Autodrome, the seremi of the Environment in the area, Rafael Castro, to verify a complaint about an illegal landfill and specifically, for the presence of shark carcasses.
The authority was accompanied by the scientist and academic of the University of Antofagasta, Carlos Bustamante, who for more than 15 years has been dedicated to researching and protecting the different species of sharks present on the coasts of northern Chile.
Once at the site, the teacher proceeded to take samples in order to verify which species the abandoned specimens corresponded to.
In dialogue with BioBioChileBustamante commented on the first results of his analysis, information that has already been sent to the competent authorities.
“We can ensure that the species it’s about the mako shark. With the samples and with the characteristics of the body, the presence of this species in the landfill is confirmed and we are seeing if it is processed a little more to see the content of stable isotopes, because with that we can see more or less which area they come from ”, He left pointing to the specialist.
According to the information collected by Bustamante, he thinks that the temporary closure of the market in Antofagasta it could have caused the sharks to end up in the dump.
“It is believed, from what certain fishermen who contacted me told me, that this was due to the temporary closure of the municipal market here in Antofagasta, which was closed last week due to a health issue,” said the However, ongoing research will determine responsibilities.
For the scientist the corpses of Isurus oxyrinchus (scientific name of the shark) could have been abandoned by some refrigerated truck that arrived in Antofagasta and was unable to sell them.
Asked about the way the sharks are found (headless and without viscera), the professor indicated that this is the way that industrial fishing lands them to market them.
Intersectoral coordination
Regarding the situation, the seremi of Environment, Rafael Castro, stressed the importance of advancing intersectoral policies to stop the spread of these dumps clandestine in Antofagasta and in the region.
The above, considering that in their visit to the place -in addition to sharks- they could find hydrocarbons in the ground, a large amount of tires, construction waste and also household waste in an area that extends for more than 2 hectares.
Faced with this problem, the authority commented that they have “established an intersectoral working group that has advanced precisely in the development of a protocol for intervention in clandestine landfills.”
Regarding the action plan, Castro indicated that they are coordinating the actions between all the competent organizations: Municipality of Antofagasta, Seremi de Salud, Sernapesca, Seremi de Bienes Nacionales “so that each of them carry out the actions that correspond to them.
On the other hand, he assured that they are evaluating the legal actions that the Government will present.
“We are studying a possible requirement of the State Defense Council to pursue the responsibilities of the case. This is a problem that is growing ”.
It is not illegal fishing
After the discovery of the sharks, one of the possibilities was that it was illegal fishing, if it was, for example, species protected by law.
That situation was categorically ruled out by the regional director of the National Fisheries Service (Sernapesca) in Antofagasta, René Salinas, who from the other side of the phone explained to us that the shortfin mako shark can be fished and marketed in our country.
“Fishing for this shark is allowed in Chile because it comes out as an accompanying fauna in the fishery of artisanal albacore (swordfish) vessels,” said Salinas, who on Monday went to the garbage dump to find out more information.
According to the evidence found, the Sernapesca authority believes that it is a product that was frozen for a long time, at the level that the scales were frozen by the cold. That prevents its commercialization and therefore, the owner decided to get rid.
In parallel, the director of the organization ruled out that they are specimens that are victims of “finning”, a practice that consists of removing the fins from sharks to sell them to the Asian market and dispose of the bodies. This action is also sanctioned in our country.
Although it is not a fishing crime, from Sernapesca they promised to collaborate with the investigation that the Investigative Police (PDI) has already begun, to find the origin of the animals.
“We are going to try to make all possible inquiries so that, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment and the PDI, we can contribute and help in the investigation,” he remarked.
Criminal investigation
Regarding the specific actions to find those responsible, the PDI informed BBCL that personnel from the Brigade for the Investigation of Crimes against the Environment and Cultural Heritage (Bidema) of Antofagasta, who carried out the first proceedings in the sector, which will be forwarded to the Public Ministry.
In addition, the police institution instructed the National Property Seremi to determine ownership of the land, together with requesting information from Sernapesca, Health Seremi, Municipality of Antofagasta and the Ministry of the Environment.
Meanwhile, it is expected that once the expert reports are completed by the health authority, the municipality will coordinate the removal of the corpses from the place, which in total add up to more than half a ton.
[ad_2]
