Shark Alliance swells its ranks

Since our last newsletter, we have gained four new members, bringing the total to 36. Strengthening the Alliance's presence in France and Germany are FFESSM (Fédération Française d’Etudes et de Sports Sous-Marine) and VDST (Verein Deutscher Sporttaucher – German Association of Sports Divers). And we welcome our first groups from Malta and Mozambique - Sharkman’s World Organization and Manta Ray & Whale Shark Research Centre.

For those not yet familiar with our relatively young alliance, the Shark Alliance mission is two-fold:

To close loopholes in EU policy regarding the wasteful and unsustainable practice of shark finning;

To secure science-based EU shark fishing limits for long-term sustainability and ecosystem health.

Support for CITES listing of threatened dogfish and porbeagle growing

Shark Alliance activities in June were dominated by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The EU proposed listing two shark species - porbeagle and spiny dogfish - on Appendix II, which would limit international trade in these commercially valuable species to sustainable levels. The US and Kenya proposed listing all species of sawfish on Appendix I and thereby ban international commercial trade in these critically endangered species.

Despite hard work from governments, Shark Alliance representatives, and other NGOs, the CITES Parties adopted an amended sawfish listing, but not the shark proposals. Narrowly defeated in Committee at the end of the first week of the Conference, the spiny dogfish proposal won reconsideration in the CITES Plenary in the last hours of the Conference, but with many supportive countries already gone, the listing again fell short of the required two-thirds majority needed for adoption.
Find out more / View slideshow from the meeting.

On the bright side, the CITES debates did much to increase awareness of the depletion of these species, particularly in EU waters, and sharks’ plight in general. EU representatives underscored previous commitments to develop an EU shark plan by 2008 and we are hopeful that the CITES discussion will help ensure good decisions for EU porbeagle and spiny dogfish fishing limits in the coming months. Shark Alliance member groups continue to promote the adoption of an effective EU shark management plan and stringent dogfish and porbeagle restrictions in the meantime.

Scientists call for fins attached

On 17 May, the Shark Alliance launched the European Elasmobrach Asociation’s report ‘Strengthening European Fisheries Management: Options for Enforcing the Shark Finning Ban’ funded by the Lenfest Oceans Program. A short summary of the findings is available in four languages, published by the Lenfest Ocean Program Research Series. Both are available from our publications section.

The report is the culmination of an expert workshop examining European shark fisheries, trade and markets, with a focus on means to enforce the EU’s shark finning ban. The report:

describes the current enforcement approach of applying a ‘fin to carcass weight ratio’ as complicated and inadequate

concludes EU ban on shark finning - slicing off a shark’s fins and dumping the body at sea - cannot be considered effective

recommends that landing sharks with their fins still attached as the best method for preventing finning.

From our members

Seastars along the river: 7th edition of annual Marevivo event

20-24 June 2007
Stelle di Mare Lungo il Fiume (‘Seastars along the River: Marine Reserves and parks), an annual event organised by Italian conservation group Marevivo, featured an events programme on Italy’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), including a plan to protect Italy’s dwindling shark populations. View slideshow.

Caution urged to protect sharks
Shark Trust launches new Code of Conduct

Fascinating shark photo exhibition this month in Wageningen
19 June 07
Shark Alliance member, Protect the Sharks opened the International Shark Photo Exhibition at Wageningen University and continues until the end of the month before touring other venues in the Netherlands. View slideshow.

"Hunted for fins" - Oceana report
31 May 2007
'Hunted for fins' - Oceana publishes a report documenting the little-known European shark fisheries. Threatened sharks species are caught by European fleets around the world, largely without management.

Sonja Fordham Receives Prestigious Peter Benchley Shark Conservation Award
08 May 07
Sonja Fordham, policy director for the Shark Alliance and shark conservation director for Ocean Conservancy, received the prestigious Peter Benchley Shark Conservation Award from the Shark Research Institute for her tireless advocacy efforts to conserve sharks around the world.