To 'seek justice', fishermen in San Andrés started hunting to kill the shark involved in the death of an Italian citizen

Last Friday, March 18, in San Andrés, in the area known as La Piscinita, a tourist was attacked by a shark. The citizen lost his life as a result of the serious injuries caused by the animal. In the face of the death of that person, an Italian identified as Antonio Roseto Degli, some decisions have been made to prevent new events like this one. Fishermen in the sector began operations to capture the shark guilty of the death of man, however animal and environmental defenders have expressed their disagreement.

“The sharks didn't give him a chance to swim, he tried to scare them off with his hand, but every time he did this they bit him,” a witness told the local channel TeleIslas. The Italian was 56 years old and was attacked at the height of the thigh of his right leg. “He apparently had a loss of blood volume in the area where he had the accident,” Erika Palacios, Assistant Scientific Manager of the health center, added to Caracol Radio.

According to those who are against this hunt, fishermen would not only be looking to catch the shark involved in the death of the foreigner, but they would also be attacking other animals indiscriminately. “The community is determined to hunt any shark in order to do 'justice'. We need the authorities to take preventive action and promote coexistence with nature (...) Fishermen and community determined to kill the shark. Authorities need to make an urgent presence,” said the animalist and environmental movement Raya.

Raya's complaint was accompanied by a video showing people on boats and boats, in the middle of the hunting process. Parallel to this, it is seen how the authority, in the spokesperson of the National Navy, informs them that what they are trying to do is illegal, since the tiger shark is one of the protected species in the country.

In the background, while the uniformed man details the reasons why hunting is irregular, citizens are heard insulting and assuring that it is necessary to kill the animal because those waters are used recreationally by the community. Leaving sharks there, the inhabitants of the sector emphasized, is dangerous.

“I remind the personnel who are in the water that this species they are hunting is a nationally protected species,” the authority said through a megaphone on the boat. “Bobos”, “this is a seaside resort” or that “the shark is going to kill us,” the residents shouted.

According to what was told to W Radio by the Coordinator of Protected Areas of Coralina, Nacor Bolaños, it is very unlikely to be attacked by a shark, according to him, it is easier to 'win the lottery twice'. “It's not normal for sharks to attack people,” he said before arguing that these animals, tiger sharks, tend to feed on turtles. “If you go into the sea, you are likely to see any fish, but it is very difficult to tell someone that if you get into the sea you are going to see a shark of that species (...) Diving with sharks became very normal in San Andrés and Providencia, but you have to have a lot of respect for animals,” he added in his talk with the station.

“The Corporation learned, according to community comments, that a resident of the sector apparently warned them about the presence of sharks in the water and recommended not to enter, however, the man ignored (...) We thank everyone to continue to support the protection of marine fauna, which is part of the islands' biodiversity, and not to engage in bad environmental practices such as dumping food debris into the sea, as this can attract sharks or other species near the coast. In addition, remember that spear fishing is prohibited in the area around Pox Hole”, was concluded by the Corporation for the Sustainable Development of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina (Coralina).

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