Nations join hands to save endangered shark species
When you hear about sharks, you imagine them as the king of the ocean and one of nature’s greatest and largest predators. But these danger marine creatures too face threat from time to time? Currently, more than 50 shark species are now on the brink of extinction due to overexploitation by humans and require immediate protection.
Okay, but how exactly are they in danger? They are often illegally hunted down as their fins are of great demand in the trade market, used for both medicinal and food purposes (shark fin soup is considered a delicacy in many parts of the world!).
Taking this into account, recently, as many as 200 nations voted to include a raft of sharks in the list of species that are conserved by international trade rules. This step was taken as part of the 19th Conference of the Parties (COP) in Panama and is believed to bring global shark fin trade under control, once and for all. This latest initiative has been deemed as a milestone in shark conservation.
In case you are wondering which shark species made it to the list, they are tiger sharks and six small hammerhead sharks, as these two families constitute more than 50 per cent of the trade in shark fins. No wonder, experts believe that the current step is in the right direction and gives these two families of sharks ‘a fighting chance of survival’. Some of the parties involved are New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). In fact, CITES is the party that is in charge of regulating cross-border trade in wild plants and animals, reduce threat on threatened species and allowing populations to recover.
Apart from the sharks, several species of turtles and songbirds have also been under high threat and has been listed under the CITES. Do you know what this means? That any country, organisation or individual who aims to trade shark parts now have to issue permits to exporters and even produce proper legal documents certifying that scientists guarantee that the permitted trade does not interfere with the lives of the threatened wildlife.
One of the countries that have stepped up for shark conservation is United Kingdoms and has even announced 4 million euros of funding to help fight crimes against sharks, such as commercial fishing for shark fins and meat.