Trade measures are the most direct way to ensure that incentives to catch sharks do not lead to their extinction, said Oceana, the world’s largest conservation organisation focused solely on marine issues.
Up to 10 million kg of shark fins (equivalent to the weight of more than 2,000 adult African Elephants) are exported annually to Hong Kong by nearly 87 countries, according to 'The International Trade of Shark Fins: Endangering Shark Populations Worldwide', a new report on global shark fin trade by Oceana, which was released at the ongoing CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) meeting in Doha.
“The global shark fin trade is driving the oceans to collapse,” said Courtney Sakai, senior campaign director at Oceana.
Representatives from 175 countries are meeting in Doha for the CITES 15th Conference of the Parties which will end on March 25. During these two weeks, the countries will decide on the inclusion of eight shark species (oceanic whitetip, dusky, sandbar, spurdog, porbeagle and scalloped, smooth and great hammerheads) in CITES Appendix II. An Appendix II listing would require the use of export permits to ensure that the species were caught by a legal and sustainably managed fishery.