When I write about sharks I am generally cognizant of the fact that the story I am telling does not end well for the sharks. I have been alove to the issues surrounding shark conservation since studying as a marine biology student at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre as an undergrad in 2004, and acutely aware of the shark finning problem and the failed international response since 2008 or so. I have written legislative notes suggesting that Canada should get on board with fin restrictions, and I have two lengther pieces currently in press addressing the systemic issues surrounding the systemic concerns that have stifled international action and also the trend towards conservation through marine protected areas and emphasized eco-tourism.
So, I am elated that today I am able to report some positive progress on the front of international shark conservation! Specifically, the Conference of the Parties to CITES (the international treaty governing the trade of wild fauna and flora and their deritative parts) voted today to implement rigorous trade permitting regimes for 5 endangered shark species by listing them as Appendix II species to the convention. We can now add the porbeagle shark, oceanic whitetip, smooth hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, and great hammerhead to the existing listed species, which includes the great white shark, the basking shark, and the whale shark. Obviously concerns will persist with the efficacy of the permitting processes that get established, but this is definitly a step in the right direction.
More on the newly listed species and the voting can be found here.
This is obviously a step in the right direction, but much more is still needed. Newly published estimates suggest that 100 million sharks are killed each year, and that this figure may be as high as 273 million (a summary can be found here).
Let's hope that the international community can build off of this success and come to protect sharks is a more effective manner moving forward!
