As the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) wrapped up its week-long meeting in Agadir, Morocco, commissioners marked progress on protecting bluefin tuna, but several organizations have criticized ICCAT for not doing enough to protect endangered shark species.
Dr. Allison Perry, shark expert and Oceana Europe marine wildlife scientist, condemned ICCAT’s treatment of sharks at the meeting.
“ICCAT has failed to assume their responsibility for managing shark fisheries in the Atlantic,” Perry said in a statement from Oceana. “Allowing stocks to become seriously depleted, and then prohibiting their capture does not qualify as responsible management.”
Oceana cited seven proposals that were tabled by ICCAT, proposals which if adopted could have helped the shark population, including a proposal from the U.S. to require all sharks to be landed with their fins still naturally attached. This, Oceana said, would strengthen existing prohibitions on shark finning, a common practice driven by the popularity of shark fin soup.
Oceana was not alone in expressing its displeasure with ICCAT’s work. Susan Lieberman, director of international policy at the Pew Environmental Group, the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, did note that the convention agreed to begin the process to amend its rules to explicitly include sharks, calling that “encouraging news,” but she said ICCAT should have done more to protect sharks now.
“While we’re pleased that ICCAT supported efforts to help rebuild bluefin tuna populations, it’s regrettable that the commission couldn’t achieve consensus on immediate protective measures for sharks,” Lieberman said.
Shark Advocates International, an environmental protection group focusing on sharks, indicated certain varieties of mako and porbeagle sharks remain vulnerable, and the group’s president, Sonja Fordham, criticized what the group called a lack of action on ICCAT’s part.
“We are particularly disappointed in ICCAT’s repeated failure to heed scientific advice and set limits on exceptionally vulnerable and valuable mako sharks, and yet encourage the U.S. and EU to continue to strive for this important goal,” Fordham said.
