March 12, 1997
A joint report by TRAFFIC International* and the Center for Marine Conservation (CMC) in Washington, entitled "Managing Shark Fisheries: Opportunities for International Conservation" analyses several existing international fisheries regimes and identifies the gaps in the conservation of sharks. The report makes several recommendations that need to be implemented by governments in appropriate international fora. "WWF is becoming increasingly alarmed about the status of sharks around the world," said Michael Sutton, director of WWF's Endangered Seas Campaign. "Sharks are extremely vulnerable to overfishing because of their unique life histories. Shark fishing amounts to open season on the high seas; very few shark fisheries are subject to any form of management by national or international authorities. WWF is urging the FAO Committee on Fisheries to take emergency action to deal with this issue before it's too late for sharks." Other TRAFFIC reports released today focus on the regional trade in sharks in Europe, India and Southeast Asia. As little effort has been made by countries to collect even the most basic kind of fisheries information, such as the numbers and species of sharks caught, these reports provide the best possible guide to the trade in sharks in these regions and initiatives that can be taken for shark conservation at national and regional levels. "TRAFFIC's research has revealed an extremely active trade in sharks and shark products worldwide," said Steven Broad, Executive Director of TRAFFIC International. "However, both the fisheries and trade are so poorly monitored that shark stocks could be seriously depleted in some areas before management needs can be identified. Specific and accurate reporting of shark landings and trade would be a crucial first step to provide future security for shark populations." For example, the Southeast Asia region, where the trade is predominantly in shark fins, has Indonesia as the worlds top shark fishing nation (possibly over 100,000 mt annually). Indonesia has the most diverse shark fauna in the world, with at least 350 species, but for how long? Europe, on the other hand, plays an important role as fisher, supplier, processor, trader and consumer of shark products. The trade is mainly for shark meat. The overall research indicates that though the FAO member countries reported shark landings hit a record high in 1994 of 730,000 metric tonnes, the actual catch volume is probably far greater. The group of top shark fishers includes Argentina, Brazil, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, UK and USA. "Several existing international fisheries agreements can be applied to benefit sharks, but must be strengthened to reflect precautionary sound management," said Sonja Fordham, CMC Fisheries Specialist and co-author of the CMC/TRAFFIC report. "In addition, countries should seize opportunities to promote shark conservation through international wildlife treaties and, in general raise the conservation priority of these valuable yet vulnerable species." Contact: Bobbie Jo Kelso at +44 1223 277427 or Someshwar Singh at +41 22 364 9553. Note:*TRAFFIC is the joint wildlife trade monitoring arm of WWF and IUCN-World Conservation Union. FAO is the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. The FAO Committee on Fisheries meets 17-21 March in Rome. |