BANGKOK (THAILAND)- After reporting yesterday here on Sharknewz.com that the Ocean Whitetip will be more protected, two more speciess of critically endangered but commercially valuable shark have been given added protection at the Cites meeting in Bangkok. The Porbeagle and three varieties of Hammerhead sharks. Shark conservationists worldwide hailed the move as historic and said the vote represented a major breakthrough for marine conservation.
The Oceanic whitetip, three varieties of Hammerheads and the Porbeagle are all said to be seriously threatened by overfishing.Their numbers have declined dramatically in recent years, as the trade in shark fins for soup has grown.
Cites regulates trade in flora and fauna. Delegates at the Bangkok meeting voted by a two-thirds majority to upgrade the sharks’ status. The decisions can still be overturned by a vote on the final day of this meeting later this week. Shark supporters have been attempting to get Cites to protect these species since 1994. But there has long been strong opposition to the move from China and Japan.