This week, despite fierce opposition from influential governments, 102 signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) voted in favor of a proposal led by the government of Mexico to include mako sharks in CITES Appendix II listing. The vote was then ratified in Plenary during the closing session of the 18th Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP18) held in Geneva, Switzerland from 17 to 28 August, meaning both species will now be granted new global trade controls when the new listing comes into effect.

After weeks of meetings, debates, and feelings of hope to despair, preceded by months and years of political engagement, both mako sharks species secured important trade restrictions at #CITESCoP18. What a fantastic team effort.

commented Ian Campbell, Project AWARE Associate Director Policy and Campaigns who joined our shark conservation partners in Geneva to advocate for all marine species up for listing consideration at CITES CoP18.

What does Appendix II Listing mean for mako sharks?

Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival. When a species is listed under CITES Appendix II, International trade may be authorized through a system of export permits and certificates. It helps ensure that trade is sustainable, legal and traceable. A CITES Listing complements other conservation measures and can prompt improved Global Shark Trade data as well as much-needed limits on exploitation. 

Mako sharks are sought for their meat and fins. They are either targeted commercially or captured accidentally in fisheries targeting other species. For far too long, the top mako fishing nations have landed this now Endangered species without limit and with International trade being a major factor in the depletion of their slow-growing populations the result is a disaster.

CITES Member countries who agreed to control the trade of both species of mako sharks at CITES CoP18 this August are now duty-bound to follow through with commitments to actively reduce fishing pressure on these overfished shark species. 

Success at CITES CoP18 gives us, and our Shark League partners, more ammo to get top fishing nations - the EU (particularly Spain and Portugal), US, Japan, Brazil, Morocco and Canada – to ban the retention of Atlantic shortfin mako sharks immediately, as advised by fisheries scientists, and push for an Atlantic-wide fishing ban, where their populations have been severely depleted.

What now?

Trade controls are just one step in the right direction. As overfishing is the main threat to sharks and rays, our relentless work to put an end to uncontrolled mako shark fishing continues. Through collaboration, together with our supporters and partners, we are a powerful movement determined to create positive change for the most vulnerable species. We are actively collaborating with our Shark League partners, namely Sharks Advocates International, The Shark Trust UK, and Ecology Action Centre, as well as with scientists, government officials, and most importantly our supporters, to get commercial fishing operations to significantly reduce the catches of mako sharks.

First on our agenda, AWARE Week (Sept 14-22) and the Curaçao International Dive Festival (Sept 29 -Oct 5) where Project AWARE has been invited to participate to outline the conservation threats facing sharks to both the diving community and government decision-makers.

This partnership will not only present an opportunity to outline the immediate peril facing mako sharks to a wide audience, but it will also provide a reminder to government officials charged with managing fisheries that the people that put them in the job will be monitoring their decisions and taking action

says Ian Campbell, Policy and Campaigns Director. 

A few weeks later, government representatives from 52 countries will meet to discuss fishing quotas for the Atlantic tuna and other species including mako sharks at the 26th Regular Meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas to be hosted in Spain, November 18-25. The ministers making these decisions are all public servants, and we want to ensure that they hear, loud and clear, the message that the Curaçao community, and international dive community including over 23,000 #Divers4Makos supporters want them to hear: an end to uncontrolled mako sharks fishing NOW!

We are deeply grateful to the many divers who joined us in voicing support for the CITES listings. We now look forward to working with this network and our other partners toward ensuring prompt and full implementation of the international conservation commitments made today.

adds Ian Campbell, Policy and Campaigns Director

Image courtesy of Andy Much, Big Fish Expeditions