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(DOHA)— The Parties to CITES today listed the Porbeagle shark (Lamna
nasus) on Appendix II of the Convention, shortly after rejecting two
previous shark listing proposals. The request by Palau and Sweden, on
behalf of the EU, should help bring a degree of control to a virtually
unregulated trade and reduce the risk of further over-exploitation of
the species. “This large shark, found in temperate and cold
waters, suffers from over-fishing by long-line fisheries to meet the
demand for its meat and fins,” said Rebecca Regnery, Deputy Director of
Wildlife for Humane Society International, a member of the Species
Survival Network. “The evidence is very clear. Stocks have been
decimated and the tonnage actually landed has collapsed from thousands
of tonnes a year to a few hundred annually in just 50 years. In
December 2009, the European Union announced a zero Total Allowable
Catch for 2010 as a sign of how serious the situation has become.” The
measure was supported by the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organisation, which identified Porbeagle as a species with low
prospects for productivity and the IUCN lists the species as
‘Vulnerable’. Fins for Chinese shark fin soup are frequently found within trade as well as leather and liver oil. “Trade
records are generally not available for this species,” concluded
Regnery. “In addition, international trade levels, patterns and trends
are largely unknown. Listing on Appendix II of the Convention will help
provide the kind of controls and monitoring that could prevent the
species’ continued decline.”
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