Posted on October, 03 2016

The global community rallied today to save the seven species of Nautilids by agreeing to list them all on Appendix II of the CITES, which will help to protect them from unregulated and unsustainable fishing.
 
Nautilids are a highly distinctive group of marine mollusks living in the Indo-Pacific region. They occur in small, scattered populations and are vulnerable to overexploitation due to their late maturity, low reproductive rate and slow growth.  
 
“Neither fishery management programmes, nor long-term population monitoring programmes currently exist for nautilids,” said Carol Phua, Senior Marine Advisor, WWF Netherlands. “Due to their unique life history, they need to be managed more strictly than other cephalopods, such as octopus and squid.”
 
TRAFFIC’s investigations into the trade found significant volumes of Nautilus products were being traded in international and domestic markets, with an increasing level of trade occurring on the Internet.
 
Given the extreme vulnerability of the species to overexploitation, unregulated fisheries could lead to exhaustion or depletion of local populations.
 
WWF, ZSL and TRAFFIC supported this proposal, as the currently unsustainable international trade in shells and shell fragments as jewelry, decorations and furniture inlay poses a threat to the species.
 
“An Appendix II listing will ensure nautilid range states implement fisheries management measures that ensure their fishing is sustainable and legal,” said Phua.
 
“It is our hope that their inclusion on this Appendix will support better management plans for these species, deliver market measures to ensure that the trade is legal, and help protect the species in the wild.”