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THE HAGUE, The Netherlands, June 8,
2007 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- Delegates attending the meeting of the Conference
of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES) today failed by a narrow margin to adopt landmark
protections for two globally threatened shark species. The spiny
dogfish and porbeagle sharks would have been the first commercially
valuable sharks added to CITES in the Treaty's thirty year history.
Although CITES protects more than 30,000 species from illegal and
unsustainable trade, only three species of sharks have been included to
date.
"Shark species worldwide are in a
tailspin due to overfishing and poor management—and often no
management at all," said Carroll Muffett, Deputy Campaigns Director of
Greenpeace USA, a member organization of the Species Survival Network
(SSN). "CITES is one of the few tools available to bring the global
trade in sharks under appropriate control, and stop the rapid slide
toward extinction we're seeing today. Refusing CITES protection for two
shark species among those in greatest need of urgent help is a
painfully ironic way to celebrate World Oceans Day."
Furthermore, the lack of data on the
scale and impacts of this trade was cited by some countries as
justification for opposing the proposals. "This is precisely the reason
they should be including these sharks in CITES," said Rebecca Regnery,
Program Manager for Humane Society International. "If you want to
collect data on shark trade, an essential place to start is to require
countries to provide it. CITES Parties could have done that by casting
a wiser vote today."
Despite stiff opposition from the
fishing industry and countries that oppose international regulation of
fisheries trade, proposals for both species came within a few votes of
the two-thirds majority needed to succeed. More than 60% of the Parties
supported new protection for the spiny dogfish, raising hopes that the
species will be reconsidered next week. "Today's votes leave the future
of shark conservation in limbo," said Muffett. "There's still time for
these sharks. But not much."
A related proposal to protect seven
species of sawfish (which are close relatives of sharks) will be
considered when the meeting resumes next week. Unlike the two shark
proposals, the sawfish plan would end trade completely to ensure the
survival of these critically endangered animals. Initial optimism that
the sawfish would be fully protected here was turned on its head by a
last- minute bid by Australia to allow trade to continue in live
sawfish even if all other trade is banned. "Australia has been a leader
on shark protection for years," said Will Travers, CEO of the Born Free
Foundation and President of the Species Survival Network. "That they
would put the sawfish at risk just so they can export to a few
aquariums has us simply dumbfounded. It is a terrible mistake we hope
they will reconsider and remedy before next week."
Editor's Notes
The proposals to include porbeagle (Lamna
nasus) and spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias)
sharks in CITES Appendix II were submitted by Germany on behalf of the
European Community. If accepted, these shark species would join the
Great White, Basking, and Whale Sharks, which were listed on Appendix
II at previous CoPs. The porbeagle, one of the most commercially
valuable of all shark species, is traded for meat, byproducts, and
fins. Spiny dogfish is traded for its meat which is often used in
popular European fish and chips dishes. Its fins, oil, leather and
other products are also traded for a variety of purposes. . The
proposal to include all species of sawfish (Pristidae) in Appendix I of
the Convention was submitted by the United States and Kenya. Sawfish
are threatened by overfishing, bycatch in fishing nets, and habitat
loss. Their long, saw-like snouts, known as "rostra", are traded as
curious, their fins are used in shark fin soup, and live specimens are
sold in the aquarium trade for up to $1700 per foot.
Notes:
- Porbeagle Sharks are Endangered in
the Northwest Atlantic (IUCN 2006)
- Porbeagles are Critically
Endangered in the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean (IUCN 2006)
- Porbeagles are Near Threatened in
the Southern Ocean (IUCN 2006).
- Spiny dogfish sharks are
Critically Endangered in the Northeast Atlantic (IUCN 2006)
- Female porbeagles do not reproduce
until they are teenagers and then only give birth to about 4 pups after
a 8-9 month pregnancy
- Spiny dogfish are Endangered in
the Mediterranean Sea, Northwest Atlantic and Western North Pacific
(IUCN 2006)
- Spiny dogfish are Vulnerable in
the Black Sea and in South American waters (IUCN 2006)
- Spiny dogfish fisheries usually
target pregnant females Sawfish species are all Critically Endangered
(IUCN 2006)
- Sawfish have very low reproductive
rates, even compared to other sharks and rays, with some waiting up to
20 years before reproducing .
For more information contact:
Carroll
Muffett Greenpeace (in the Hague) 06 4616 2042
Adam
M. Roberts, Press
Officer,
In The Hague: 06-5213 6798
Globally: 1-202-445-3572
E-mail: press@ssn.org
WORLD FORUM CONVENTION CENTRE
10, Churchillplein NL-2508 THE HAGUE
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