Posted on April, 20 2000

Nairobi, Kenya -- Parties to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) have failed once again to give sharks the same protection they have accorded to other species, WWF, the conservation organization, said today.

Concern for global and regional management issues played a key role in the decisions made on a number of species including elephants, whales and hawksbill turtles. However, the Conference of Parties (COP) decided that the conservation and management of other threatened species such as sharks, is best left to individual countries, and not to CITES.

"Parties have not yet reached a clear understanding about how best to protect highly vulnerable marine fish and shark species," said Gordon Shepherd, Director of International Policy for WWF. "Even simple proposals to protect the great white, whale and basking sharks, all of which are highly vulnerable to unmanaged fisheries, were rejected, leaving them unprotected by the international community."

Sharks are highly migratory but the countries on their migration routes have so far failed to produce a coherent and agreed approach. As a result, despite the strength of the proposals, the Conference did not agree to give extra protection to sharks. Other difficult issues however were resolved by extensive dialogue between countries most directly involved who then were able to propose agreed solutions to the conference.

African range states and India were able to reach a compromise on elephants, putting off a decision on ivory trade and giving them more time to establish poaching and illegal trade monitoring systems. The Conference re-confirmed that the International Whaling Commission is the international body responsible for the management of whales, and that global management schemes are necessary to protect whales. It rejected proposals for international trade in whale products. On sturgeon, tigers, bears, Tibetan antelopes and musk deer, the concerned range states were also able to reach satisfactory compromises that will strengthen the protection of these species.

"WWF believes that regional or if appropriate, global management plans, are key to the protection of many endangered species. This CITES conference has made some positive steps in this direction," Mr. Shepherd added. "If this approach is expanded then the improvements seen here, in CITES support for conservation and sustainable use will be consolidated and built on. However, it is unfortunate that Parties have reduced the budgets that would encourage the expansion of these kinds of solutions to other species that are threatened by international trade."

For further information: Gordon Shepherd, Director of the International Policy Unit, WWF International: tel: +254 2 333 233 Kyla Evans, Press Officer WWF International, tel: + 254 2 333 233