Landmark CITES Agreement Offers New Protections for Sharks and Rays
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A pivotal moment in marine conservation unfolded recently as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) adopted sweeping new measures to regulate the global trade of sharks and rays,species increasingly threatened by demand for their fins and livers. The decisions, reached at the COP20 conference, represent a significant shift in international efforts to protect vulnerable marine life.
For decades, CITES primarily focused on safeguarding well-known terrestrial animals like elephants, rhinos, primates, and parrots, alongside charismatic marine species such as sea turtles. A ban on international trade in sea turtles,implemented in 1981,is widely credited with contributing to the recovery of several populations. However, it’s only within the last decade that CITES has begun to address the plight of sharks and rays with comparable urgency.
Unprecedented Consensus on marine Protection
This year’s COP20 saw unanimous – and historically unprecedented – support from CITES’ 185 member countries and the European Union for all proposed protections for sharks and rays. This broad consensus signals a growing global recognition of the critical role these species play in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems.
The European Union, a major supplier of shark meat to markets in Southeast and East Asia – accounting for over 20 percent of global trade, according to the World Wildlife Fund – played a key role in the agreement.
New Regulations for Vulnerable species
The new CITES listings fall into two primary categories. Gulper sharks, targeted for their livers, and smoothhound and tope sharks, primarily fished for their meat, have been added to CITES’ Appendix II. This listing mandates that all participating nations strictly regulate international trade, ensuring it is both traceable and biologically sustainable. As products from the 20 species of gulper sharks and 30 species of smoothhounds cannot be reliably distinguished in trade, the listing covers multiple species collectively.
Othre species face even stricter protections.wedgefish and giant guitarfish – large, shark-like rays prized for their valuable fins – are subject to a temporary suspension of trade. More critically, species like oceanic whitetips, whale sharks, manta rays signify a real risk of extinction due to trade and affords them the treaty’s highest level of protection, effectively prohibiting international commercial trade.
“this marks a turning point in marine conservation,” a senior official stated, emphasizing the importance of the agreement. The new regulations represent a crucial step towards ensuring the long-term survival of these vital ocean inhabitants.
Here’s a substantive news report answering the “Why, Who, What, and How” questions:
Why: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) adopted new measures to protect sharks and rays because these species are increasingly threatened by international trade driven by demand for their fins and livers.Their declining populations pose a risk to ocean ecosystem health.
Who: the agreement was reached at the COP20 conference with unanimous support from CITES’ 185 member countries and the European Union. Key players included the European Union, a major supplier of shark meat, and organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, which provided data on trade volumes.
What: CITES has implemented
