Are sharks protected?

CURRENT STATUS OF INTERNATIONALLY PROTECTED SHARKS

Currently, there are over 46 shark species listed under CITES Appendixes, providing them with varying levels of international protection. These listings are critical in regulating the global trade of shark products and ensuring that shark populations are not driven to extinction by commercial exploitation. Additionally, many countries have implemented national protections for sharks, creating marine sanctuaries and banning shark finning practices within their waters.

What is CITES

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international treaty aimed at regulating the trade of wildlife to ensure it doesn't endanger their survival. With 183 member countries, CITES sets up a global system for monitoring and controlling the trade of over 35,000 plant and animal species, including 46 species of sharks and rays listed in its Appendices I and II.

CITES plays a critical role in preventing over-exploitation of species that are traded across international borders, both on land and in marine environments. The framework ensures that international trade is sustainable, legal, and traceable, and helps to drive national management strategies.

Species are categorized into three Appendices:

Appendix I: Species threatened with extinction, with international commercial trade prohibited except under exceptional circumstances.
Appendix II: Species not immediately threatened with extinction, but trade is controlled to prevent over-exploitation.
Appendix III: Species protected in at least one country, requiring other CITES members to assist in controlling trade through certificates of origin.