Elasmobranch Conservation: Focus on the United States and Europe

National and international shark conservation policies to combat shark overfishing and finning have evolved considerably since the first steps were taken in the early 1990s. The United States (US) began regulating shark fishing in 1993 and was at the forefront of a landmark Resolution on sharks under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 1994. The US also had a lead role in developing the ensuing 1999 Food and Agriculture Organization International Plan of Action for Sharks.  The last fifteen years have seen numerous proposals to list shark and ray species under the CITES Appendices while, under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), seven shark species have been listed and a Memorandum of Understanding for Sharks agreed.  Whereas most US elasmobranch recovery efforts have yet to succeed, the nation has remained a leader in shark conservation, both by setting an example with domestic regulations and by promoting safeguards internationally, through the Regional Fishery Management Organizations (RFMOs) as well as CITES and CMS. The European Union, another major shark fishing power, has been slow to regulate elasmobranch fishing and champion shark protection, and yet has taken significant steps within the last five years. In both the US and the EU, challenges to shark and ray sustainability remain.

This presentation will review the major milestones in shark conservation with an emphasis on the status of US and EU shark and ray conservation initiatives, including domestic and RFMO measures to manage elasmobranch fisheries, protect vulnerable species, and end shark finning. Recommendations for priority actions will be made.