ICCAT

What: Annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) where representatives from Atlantic fishing nations will discuss proposals for measures to better prevent shark finning and to protect shortfin mako sharks from overfishing.

When and where: Tuesday 14^th to 22^nd November 2017 Marrakech, Morocco.

Why it’s important: Sharks are among the most vulnerable animals taken in high seas fisheries targeting tuna and swordfish, and are yet seriously under-protected. There are no international limits on the most valuable high seas shark species (shortfin mako); the North Atlantic population has just been assessed as depleted. ICCAT’s weak finning ban is out of line with best practice. Overfishing and waste of sharks has negative ecological and economic effects. ICCAT has the ability to set the standard for shark safeguards of 50 countries and the European Union. ICCAT action on makos and finning would set important precedent for other oceans.

Continue reading MEDIA ADVISORY: SHARKS & ICCAT #MakeTime4Makos