Shark fishing ban to bring endangered species back from brink

Shark conservation has been boosted by a new international trade ban that offers greater protection for 70 species of sharks and rays.

Restrictions on shark and ray fishing were announced at a major conference on protecting wildlife in trade.

The UN Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES Cop20) is taking place in Uzbekistan, with 185 countries participating.

Whale sharks, and all manta and devil rays have been upgraded to Appendix I, which represents the highest level of protection by banning all commercial international trade of these species and their products.

Whale sharks have been seen swimming in shallow waters off the UAE.

Protection agreements were passed to include a full international trade ban on oceanic whitecap sharks, manta and devil rays, and whale sharks, as well as zero export quotas for wedgefish and giant guitarfish.

A fisherman with a manta ray in Havana, Cuba. AFP

Other restrictions include regulated trade permits for gulper, smoothhound and tope sharks.

The listings closed major loopholes in the international market for fins, gill plates, meat and other products. These long-standing pressures have accelerated population collapse.

Globally, more than 37 per cent of shark and ray species are threatened with extinction, while pelagic sharks such as hammerheads and blue sharks have declined by more than 70 per cent in 50 years.

Reef sharks are functionally extinct on one in five coral reefs surveyed worldwide, due to overfishing and habitat loss.

Conserv