Bridging the Gaps that Hinder Shark Conservation
32nd Meeting of the CITES Animals Committee, June 2023
The success of conservation treaty agreements relies on proper implementation by international authorities and at the national level by key Parties.
A new Shark League gap analysis takes stock of the effects from Atlantic shark and ray protection measures under wildlife and fisheries treaties, primarily the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the International Commission for Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Specifically, we evaluate ICCAT Parties’ performance with respect to various obligations for CITES-listed elasmobranchs, highlight key gaps between concrete restrictions and conservation needs, and recommend improvements at national and international levels.
