As a U.S. nongovernmental organization Shark Stewards will attend CoP20 as a participant advancing the Oceanic Whitetip shark, Whale shark and Gulper Sharks. In addition we will be advancing the proposal with Mexico to increase Hammerhead sharks to Appendix I: the highest level of protection for trade available.
Read MoreThe History of US Shark Finning and Fin Trade Regulation
Since the 1950s industrial fishing pressure has increased 18 times. Many populations of pelagic fish like swordfish and tuna have declined severely and sharks have suffered most. Scientists estimate that […]
Read MoreThe Weird, Wild and Nearly Extinct Sawfish
Currently in the news is an account of unusual spinning behavior and deaths in an Unusual Mortality Event, potentially attributed to a neurological pathogen off the coast of Florida. The global populations of all five sawfish species have experienced historic declines greater than 90% due to fisheries overexploitation (directed and bycatch) and habitat loss. Consequently, three species are listed on the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered, and two species are listed as Endangered. There is a very real risk that these unique species will be lost without urgent conservation action
Read MoreShark Stewards CITES Intern Update, Vivian Guido
The requiem and hammerhead shark families include some of the most endangered species of sharks. Important apex predators, hammerheads and requiem sharks are among the highest traded fins in the Asian market. New research shows that 37% of all sharks are threatened with extinction, the highest percentage among vertebrate groups in the ocean. Pelagic (open ocean) sharks have declined over 70 percent in the last 50 years. Additionally, reef shark populations were found to be functionally extinct on 20% of coral reefs surveyed around the globe.of all species in the shark fin trade are endangered.
Read MoreThe Year of the Shark: December News
With your help, Shark Stewards has catalyzed considerable conservation success for sharks in the Congress with the US Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act, regulating gear in Pacific fisheries, and passing global trade restrictions this year!
This month, the Congress made the penultimate step towards saving overfished shark populations and endangered sharks from extinction, by passing a bill that will ban the USA’s involvement in the global shark fin trade.
Read MoreVictory for Sharks – 90 Species Protected
Sharks and Rays Receive Appendix II Listing at CITES-CoP19
We just made history protecting sharks at CoP19 in Panama by bringing Requiem sharks (including blue sharks), all hammerhead sharks, freshwater rays, and small guitarfish under protection from the international shark meat and fin trade.
Over 100 Species of Sharks and Rays Protected at CITES
Yesterday history was made protecting sharks at the the 19th Coalition of the Parties at Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Panama where 184 governments and conservationist Parties convened to consider applying major trade protections for plants and animals in the wildlife trade.
Read MoreStop Overfishing Endangered Sharks in the Global Shark Fin Trade
Join our Friends at Only One Expressing your Support to List 3 Families of sharks and Rays
An upcoming vote at the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) at CoP19 November among over 180 nations could protect endangered sharks from the shark fin trade Please you add your name to this letter urging world leaders to end the shark fin trade driving the decline of many species of sharks.
Celebrating the World’s Biggest Fish: Whale Shark Day
August 30 is International Whale Shark Day! This day was established to raise awareness around the importance of whale sharks to marine ecosystems and their dwindling population numbers, and to encourage conservation efforts to protect these gentle sharks.
Read MorePetition to Protect Great Hammerhead Sharks Under Endangered Species Act
Shark Stewards joins the Center for Biological Diversity calling for increased protection for Great Hammerhead Sharks under the ESA and in their complete range. We are also asking NMFS to support the motion to uplist this species and the scalloped hammerhead to Appendix I at the Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species in Panama, 2022.
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