SHARK AND RAY TRADE
Thailand signals opposition to CITES listings
The Nation


Shark conservation experts from the Pew Charitable Trust hold dried shark fins after a press briefing on sharks and manta rays at the 16th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)./ EPA/NARONG

BANGKOK: -- Debate is heating up on proposed protections for sharks and raysat a major global trade meeting. Shark conservation experts have united to urge governments to vote in favour of the measures and thereby ensure the survival of the threatened species.Roughly 150 of the 178 governments that are party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) are expected to vote on these proposals over the coming days.

"Sharks and rays, some of the most vulnerable marine species, are being overfished across the globe," said Sonja Fordham, President of Shark Advocates International, a project of The Ocean Foundation. "International trade is central to shark and ray depletion, and existing protections are woefully insufficient to reverse population declines."

At the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of Parties to CITES,proposals from various governments to list oceanic whitetip sharks, porbeagles, hammerheads, manta rays, and freshwater sawfish under CITES, in order to limit international trade to sustainable levels, have strong backing from manynon-governmental organizations, including a coalition of diverse conservation groups*.

The fins of hammerhead and oceanic whitetip sharks are prized and traded globally for use in Asian shark fin soup. Porbeagles are valuable for both fins and meat. Manta ray gills are increasingly sought and exported for Chinese medicine. The freshwater sawfish is the only species of sawfish that can still be legally traded for aquarium display. All of these species are classified by IUCN as threatened with extinction.

"We were disappointed to hear that the host country, Thailand, plans to oppose the listing of sharks and rays, yet exceptionally pleased that these proposals have the strong support of at least seven key West African countries, as announced yesterday on the floor by Senegal," saidRebecca Regnery, Humane Society International's Deputy Director for Wildlife.

Proponents of the various shark and ray listing proposals include the 27 Member States of the EU, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Ecuador, Egypt, Honduras, Mexico, and the USA.The listing proposals need a two-thirds majority vote to be adopted.

"CITES action is a vital and overdue part of the solution to global depletion of sharks and rays," addedAli Hood, Director of Conservation for the Shark Trust."We are urging CITES Parties' support for the proposals to control trade in these magnificent, essential species, and thus secure their future."


-- The Nation 2013-03-07

Quote:

"We were disappointed to hear that the host country, Thailand, plans to oppose the listing of sharks and rays.

Must be a bit tricky subject this one for Yingluk & Co to handle.

Hosting the CITES meeting with the international media watching closely, and trying to keep her populism intact with the fishermen..

Quite a juggling act, I wonder if she'll drop any balls ??

The survival of a species or soup? Bit of a no brainer for any right-minded person.

Yes, shark fin soup delicious and high-so

The survival of a species or soup? Bit of a no brainer for any right-minded person.

Do you know tuna is so over fished that you should not eat it until stocks recover? That's a no brainer too. I think same goes for sardines, cod and a couple more species which the west conveniently avoids being righteous about, and focuses on something they don't eat. Of course, shark finning should end but so should trawling and the exploitation of overfished species.

Considering a greater number depend on say tuna than sharks fin, and shark finning is more cruel, equal emphasis should be placed on both to stop.

The survival of a species or soup? Bit of a no brainer for any right-minded person.

Do you know tuna is so over fished that you should not eat it until stocks recover? That's a no brainer too. I think same goes for sardines, cod and a couple more species which the west conveniently avoids being righteous about, and focuses on something they don't eat. Of course, shark finning should end but so should trawling and the exploitation of overfished species.

Considering a greater number depend on say tuna than sharks fin, and shark finning is more cruel, equal emphasis should be placed on both to stop.

Totally agree with you.

Tuna, Cod,etc all need strict quotas to allow for a sustainable yield and healthy population of these spices to remain in the environment and fulfill their ecological roles in the oceanic food chains.

The survival of a species or soup? Bit of a no brainer for any right-minded person.

Do you know tuna is so over fished that you should not eat it until stocks recover? That's a no brainer too. I think same goes for sardines, cod and a couple more species which the west conveniently avoids being righteous about, and focuses on something they don't eat. Of course, shark finning should end but so should trawling and the exploitation of overfished species.

Considering a greater number depend on say tuna than sharks fin, and shark finning is more cruel, equal emphasis should be placed on both to stop.

Good point about more than just shark with the tuna.

Oh boy, the Thais are "signaling." They don't just state, discuss, articulate or debate. They "signal." If you read Chris Baker's incredible insight in to Thais and Thai behavior and Thai business protocols, he dedicates an entire chapter to Thais "signaling" with hand signals and gestures about striking "under the table" deals about everything from forestry products, water, elephants,,etc.. Thais, they sure know how to "signal."

The survival of a species or soup? Bit of a no brainer for any right-minded person.

Do you know tuna is so over fished that you should not eat it until stocks recover? That's a no brainer too. I think same goes for sardines, cod and a couple more species which the west conveniently avoids being righteous about, and focuses on something they don't eat. Of course, shark finning should end but so should trawling and the exploitation of overfished species.

Considering a greater number depend on say tuna than sharks fin, and shark finning is more cruel, equal emphasis should be placed on both to stop.

I, for one, love tuna.

Now I eat ten times, at the least, less than I used to, last year I hardly eat it at all, only the occasional sandwich when there wasn't anything else palatable at the store for a quick bite.

China thinks - Thailand acts.

Oh boy, the Thais are "signaling." They don't just state, discuss, articulate or debate. They "signal." If you read Chris Baker's incredible insight in to Thais and Thai behavior and Thai business protocols, he dedicates an entire chapter to Thais "signaling" with hand signals and gestures about striking "under the table" deals about everything from forestry products, water, elephants,,etc.. Thais, they sure know how to "signal."

Apart from when driving......

I think the shadowy morons in the Ivory trade would be interested in these items this morning

The survival of a species or soup? Bit of a no brainer for any right-minded person.

Do you know tuna is so over fished that you should not eat it until stocks recover? That's a no brainer too. I think same goes for sardines, cod and a couple more species which the west conveniently avoids being righteous about, and focuses on something they don't eat. Of course, shark finning should end but so should trawling and the exploitation of overfished species.

Considering a greater number depend on say tuna than sharks fin, and shark finning is more cruel, equal emphasis should be placed on both to stop.

Gotta admit as much as I like tuna fish you are right on the money with what you say.

I have been away from Canada now for a while. Seems to me when I was there the Atlantic cod had just about disappeared. Not sure what happened there now. If I recall correctly they were saying it had been depleted past the point where it could recover.

I hope Thailand is subjected to trade sanctions for refusal to outlaw the ivory trade.

Hurting them in the pocket is the only thing they understand.

Quote:

"We were disappointed to hear that the host country, Thailand, plans to oppose the listing of sharks and rays.

Must be a bit tricky subject this one for Yingluk & Co to handle.

Hosting the CITES meeting with the international media watching closely, and trying to keep her populism intact with the fishermen..

Quite a juggling act, I wonder if she'll drop any balls ??

what is here tricky....that topic is totally without money beside the shark fins and there she is blocking it. The international media don't vote the Thai Premier and people who are interested in sharks are a very small minority worldwide.

It is sad, very sad but really no one cares.

You all all FREE to attend the CITES convention by the way.

Pop along and make your feelings known...

Thailand, the hub of fake products is unable to substitute shark fin soup?

Beluga caviar has been substituted in Europe by pollack caviar, most people didn't perceive the difference....

Shark fins make a small man with a small penis a smaller man with a smaller person and a bigger <deleted>

With no sharks and rays, who is going to eat all the garbage in the talay?

Quote:

"We were disappointed to hear that the host country, Thailand, plans to oppose the listing of sharks and rays.

Must be a bit tricky subject this one for Yingluk & Co to handle.

Hosting the CITES meeting with the international media watching closely, and trying to keep her populism intact with the fishermen..

Quite a juggling act, I wonder if she'll drop any balls ??

what is here tricky....that topic is totally without money beside the shark fins and there she is blocking it. The international media don't vote the Thai Premier and people who are interested in sharks are a very small minority worldwide.

It is sad, very sad but really no one cares.

Actually pretty well all of the diving community care, quite a large group worldwide.