Johannesburg - Cites parties met on Tuesday to begin finalising decisions on the fate of sharks and rays after a victory for environmentalists and conservationists which has placed them on a Cites protection list.
In a highly anticipated committee session on Monday, proposals to list devil rays, thresher sharks, and the silky shark under Cites were supported by more than the two-thirds of voting parties required for adoption.
Nine devil rays, three thresher sharks, and the silky shark were proposed by a variety of countries for listing under Cites Appendix II, which would result in international trade restrictions to ensure exports are sustainable and legal.
Conservationists expressed delight yet remained mindful that committee decisions must still be confirmed in the final Cites plenary session later this week.
“Cites took its next concrete steps, begun in 1994, to conserve sharks and rays, among the most threatened animals on the planet,” said Wildlife Conservation Society’s sharks and rays co-ordinator Amie Brautigam.
“The global trade in shark and ray parts and products is nearing $1 billion (R13.6bn) in value per year and is provisioned by shark and ray fisheries that are landing more than 800 000 metric tons of these animals per year,” Brautigam said. Sharks and rays around the world are being over-fished for a thriving global market, yet only a tiny fraction of these species are regulated in international trade, added Brautigam.
“We hope governments follow through with Monday’s decisions to extend Cites regulation to devil rays, thresher sharks, and the silky shark,” she said.
“Assuming these decisions stand, this is a big win for all these species of sharks and rays as governments around the world will now have to act to reduce the overfishing that threatens them,” said Andy Cornish of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
“We are elated by the resounding support for safeguarding the devil rays, some of the oceans’ most vulnerable animals,” said Sonja Fordham of Shark Advocates International.
Ali Hood of the Shark Trust noted: “We stress that complementary fishing limits are key to the effective conservation.”
Earlier in the meeting, parties agreed to steps aimed at improving the traceability of shark and ray products, which is fundamental to Cites implementation.
Countries’ interventions reflected a growing recognition of the vital role Cites can play in shark and ray conservation by enhancing data, improving management, and ensuring sustainable international trade.
Project AWARE, Shark Advocates International, Shark Trust, TRAFFIC, Wildlife Conservation Society, and WWF are working in partnership to promote the ray and shark listing proposals.
African News Agency