According to Biodiversity And Nature Conservation Association (BANCA), endangered Ayeyawaddy Dolphins are being killed and sold in Ah Hlat village, Paung Township.
An Ayeyawaddy dolphin was cut into pieces for sold in the market on November 10 according to field officer of BANCA Thaw Phyo Shwe.
“At the local fish wholesale market in southern Ah Hlat village, I found a female Ayeyawaddy dolphin. Its organs and its fins were removed and ready for sale. What the owner said was they caught the dolphin when it was dead. It is 5 feet and half inches long and 4 feet and half inches wide. What I’m sure is it’s an Ayeyawaddy dolphin. We often see selling of Ayeyawaddy dolphins in a whole or in pieces,” said Thaw Phyo Shwe.
He continued in saying that at present, it seemed that Ayeyawaddy dolphins are caught for selling. The fishermen catch as much as they can. The fleshes of the dolphins are tasty and some said that its taste is better than beef and pork. Some said it is good for blood circulation. It costs Ks.11000 a viss (equivalent to 1.6 Kg). Some sell dolphins as dry fish and it cost Ks.32000.
In Gulf of Mottama, pointed head dolphins and blunt or round headed dolphins are found. Pointed head dolphins are called Linshu and round headed dolphins are called dolphin or Linpaing. The dolphin found in the Ah Hlat village market was a round headed dolphin added Thaw Phyo Shwe.
In Thone Khwa in Yangon Region, pointed head dolphins and blunt or round headed dolphins can be found abundantly. In every fisherman’s houses, dolphins are hanged to produce oil from them. In Mon State, the number may be less than the Thone Khwa region. I think, Department of Fishery may be aware of these illegal fishing of dolphins. But there is no investigation or inspection concerning the illegal fishing of dolphins. If we ask the fishermen what they reply will be they caught when the dolphins are dead. Even the live dolphins are caught; these fishermen never release them back. In a market in Paung Township, live sea turtle and birds are sold, added Thaw Phyo Shwe.
On May 21, 2018 President Win Myint has signed a law on conservation of biodiversity. According to that law, killing or selling of animals designated as wildlife must be punished to 10 years sentence or Ks.300, 000 as fine. The important thing is we have to make the law came into existence by Department of Fishery or Department of Forestry. We have to educate them to the public. If animals designated as wildlife, even these animals caught after they were dead, these must be handled to respective departments. We don’t have to eat the animals. What I found currently is the Ayeyawaddy dolphin at the village was killed with a purpose of selling. We have laws in Myanmar to protect and conserve the endangered species. The departments responsible for the taking action couldn’t do and in the long term, dolphins and birds will extinct from Myanmar, he continued.
