Sea Save

2022 CITES CoP19

Sea Save Foundation will participate in the nineteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Panama City, Panama, which is being held November 14th – 25th 2022. 2022 CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP 19) this November in Panama. CITES, the United Nations Treaty and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna is a critical tool to protect threatened and endangered animals.  To learn more about CITES history and past successes: CLICK HERE

We are prepped and ready to work hard to protect vulnerable and endangered marine species by using the strong evidence presented in the proposals. By joining us as an honorary virtual delegate you will amplify our voice at the CITES table.

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This will be Sea Save Foundation’s fourth official CITES and our 15th year of participation. This year and we are better prepared than ever before. Our Director, Georgienne Bradley, has just completed an intensive Master’s Degree Program in the study of CITES. We are bringing our “A” game. 

(c) Edwar Herreño

Why is THIS CITES CoP so Important?

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Shark populations have plummeted worldwide. This was precipitated largely by the unregulated international market in shark fins and meat. Sharks in the open seas have suffered a 70% population loss in the last 50 years. Coastal species of sharks are also in trouble — 20% of reefs surveyed globally have shark populations that have become functionally extinct. Affected governments have taken steps to monitor population numbers during the last ten years, spotting that unregulated international exchange is driving these declines. 

 

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Change cannot happen soon enough. But currently, it’s too little, and for a few species, too late. Every year about a hundred million sharks are killed in commercial fisheries worldwide. Only 25% of the worldwide fin trade is presently regulated — meaning that for the remaining 75%, there are no enforceable laws to ensure the trade would not pose a threat to species’ survival. The need for effective action is overdue — 70% of species involved in the shark fin trade are already threatened with extinction. 

For any trade to continue, governments have to make sure any shark species involved has sustainable trade limits. Given the slow reproduction rate of sharks and rays and, their susceptibility to overfishing, intense declines already visible for many species, CITES regulation (Appendix II) of the entire shark fin exchange is the minimal first step governments should make. The shark proposals for CoP19 are an unparalleled opportunity for governments to begin now to regulate the bulk of the worldwide shark fin trade. This will provide needed protections for species threatened with extinction and a sustainable framework for the long term for species whose populations are currently healthy. 

 

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To accomplish this, Panama and the European Union have recommended proposals to list the remaining Carcharhinidae and Sphyrnidae family species in Appendix II at CoP19. CITES CoP19 offers an unprecedented chance to protect large numbers of threatened marine species from the pressures of international trade. 

 

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We will educate and advocate to voting delegates at the conference that the current proposals should be accepted to ensure that threatened species are not confused with “look-alike” species within a Family. This will avoid additional population decline and future need for Appendix I listings.

Requiem Sharks - The Family Charcarhinidae

 Many requiem shark species are present in the international trade for their fins and meat. Given the evidence of rapid and severe population declines, driven at least in part by the demand for their products in the international trade, nineteen requiem shark species are proposed for listing under CITES App. II. Nineteen species are proposed for Appendix II listing. These species are all assessed as Endangered (EN) or Critically Endangered (CR) under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with most populations facing rapid recent declines of 70% or more and some populations suffering near 100% depletions. Due to similarities in appearance and prevalence of Carcharhinids in the international trade, all remaining species in the family are included as lookalikes under Annex 2b, Criterion A.
Proponents – Panama, Bangladesh, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, European Union, Gabon, Israel, Maldives, Senegal, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, and United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland
 

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Bonnethead Shark

Hammerhead sharks - The Family Sphyrnidae

This proposal is for the inclusion of Bonnethead sharks and the remainder of Family Sphyrniae as lookalikes. The Bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo) has faced population reductions of up to 79% globally and is assessed as Endangered (EN) under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In some regions, populations have declined by more than 80% within the last three generations and even suffered localized extinctions, exceeding the CITES Appendix II guidelines for marine species. At CITES CoP16, 2013, three large-bodied hammerhead sharks, including the Scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) and Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) sharks were adopted by CITES parties into Appendix II of the Convention, as they were the only hammerhead species thought to be in international trade. Since then, updated research into the species composition of the international fin trade has detected an increasing presence of smaller, less expensive shark fins and fins from coastal and smaller-bodied shark species, including the small-bodied hammerheads. Many CITES Parties, as well as the Animals Committee, have noted that this now presents an illegal trade loophole, with documented occurrences of listed hammerhead species being traded as unlisted ones. To correct this, the EU has proposed that all remaining hammerheads (family Sphyrnidae) must also be listed in CITES Appendix II alongside the Bonnethead as lookalike species, putting all nine described species of hammerheads under international trade regulations and eliminating this illegal trade loophole.
Proponents – Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, European Union, Panama
 

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Sea cucumbers from the genus Thelenota

T. ananas, T. anax, and T. rubralineata, commonly known as the pineapple sea cucumber, giant sea cucumber and the candy cane sea cucumber. Thelenota is a genus of widely distributed sea cucumbers that are commercially exploited for consumption and threatened by the international beche-de-mer trade. Thelenota ananas is one of the highest-value and highest-demand sea cucumber species. There is concern over the sustainability of sea cucumber fisheries around the globe, including for Thelenota species, with depletions at many localities. The inclusion of the genus Thelenota in Appendix II will allow continued and more sustainable trade, supporting the interests of fishermen, exporters and importers and preserving these species and their important ecological role for future generations. Nations will be required to develop non-detriment findings, generating more data upon which to base management plans,
Proponents – European Union, Seychelles, United States of America
 

 

EdwarHerreno.com

Guitarfishes The Family Rhinobatidae

Out of the 37 species belonging to the Family Rhinobatidae, 23 are assessed as threatened under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, including ten as Critically Endangered (CR). Six Critically Endangered (CR) species ( Stripenose guitarfish (Acroteriobatus variegatus), Brazilian guitarfish (Pseudobatos horkelii), Whitespotted guitarfish (Rhinobatos albomaculatus), Spineback guitarfish (R. irvinei), Common guitarfish (R. rhinobatos), Brown guitarfish (R. schlegelii) ) are proposed for listing under Appendix II. Many shark-like rays are severely threatened, and it is known that their fins are traded internationally and marketed alongside shark fins. In recent years, governments have acted to list many shark-like rays onto CITES, such as from the families of wedgefishes (Rhinidae) and giant guitarfishes (Glaucostegidae). While guitarfish species suffer from similar threats to survival, including intense fishing pressures and habitat degradation, with their products found in the international fins and skins trade, no guitarfish species are currently listed under CITES. Due to similarities in the appearance of traded products and the IUCN Red List classification of many other species as threatened, all remaining species in the family Rhinobatidae are included as lookalikes in this proposal.
Proponents – Israel, Kenya, Panama, Senegal
 

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Potamotrygonidae (Freshwater) Prop 39

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More details soon

Hypancistrus zebra commonly known as the zebra pleco

This proposal concerns the endemic species of Brazil Hypancistrus zebra considered as critically endangered at the national level. Specimens can be found in the Amazon basin, specifically in the middle and lower portions of the Xingú river basin, a region highly impacted by the Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP). It is a species of international ornamental interest that has a slow growth rate, high mortality rate and low fertility. With the impact caused by the installation HPP leading to a reduced water flow, the species is more vulnerable to capture for the illegal ornamental fish trade. Illegal trade is occurring. Around 10,000 individuals/month are trafficked for international trade (Sousa et al ., 2021).
Proponents – Brazil
 

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