Porbeagle Oceanic Whitetip SCALLOPED Hammerhead VOTE YES Appendix II Endangered in Northwest Pacific
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PORBEAGLE OCEANIC WHITETIP SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD VOTE YES APPENDIX II Endangered in northwest Pacific. VOTE YES APPENDIX II VOTE YES APPENDIX II SPECIES FACTS n Hammerhead shark fins are some of the most Vulnerable globally. SPECIES NAME: Lamna nasus SPECIES NAME: SPECIES NAME: valuable on the market. FINS The warm-blooded porbeagle shark, caught Carcharhinus longimanus Sphyrna lewini SPECIES FACTS mostly for its fins for soup and its meat, is The oceanic whitetip is one of the The scalloped n Surveys in the northwest Atlantic document AT A GLANCE n The international demand for porbeagle fins distributed throughout the temperate North most widespread shark species, found hammerhead, with the hammerhead loss at up to 98 per cent, and meat has driven populations to very Atlantic Ocean throughout the world’s tropical and its distinctive head, is landings in the southwest Atlantic show low levels across their range. Studies show and Southern temperate seas. It is also one of the most one of the most recognizable sharks. It is also declines of up to 90 per cent, and declines declines of up to 90 per cent in places around Hemisphere. threatened. It is typically caught for its one of the most endangered shark species, of more than 99 per cent have occurred in the world, including the northwest Atlantic. valuable fins, which are used in soup. caught for its valuable fins to make soup. the Mediterranean. The three FIRST n Almost no international conservation or SPECIES FACTS hammerhead species DORSAL FIN FIRST DORSAL FIN FIRST DORSAL FIN management measures exist for n Studies have documented population (Sphyrna lewini, S. Dark blue/black to dark greyish brown, rounded Large and broadly rounded (paddlelike); Tall, straight, uniform in color; same for this species on the high seas. declines of up to 99 per cent, including in mokarran, S. zygaena) apex with white patch on lower trailing edge mottled white at apex. look-alike species: the great and smooth the Gulf of Mexico. combined make up approximately 6 onto free rear tip. hammerheads. IUCN RED LIST DESIGNATION per cent of the identified fins entering n Fins are easy to identify in global trade by the IUCN RED LIST DESIGNATION Critically Endangered in the northwest and IUCN RED LIST DESIGNATION the Hong Kong market. From this white at their tips, rounded shape and large Critically Endangered in the west-central Atlantic. Endangered globally. information, scientists have estimated that size, making them one of the most distinctive Mediterranean Sea and 1.3 million to 2.7 million scalloped and Vulnerable products on the market. northeast Atlantic. smooth hammerheads globally. are killed for the fin n Scientists have estimated that 250,000 to trade annually. 1.3 million oceanic whitetips are killed annually for the fin trade. COVER PHOTO: JIM ABERNETHY BACK COVER PHOTO: MANU SAN FELIX Pew developed a guide to help SHARK FINS users rapidly identify dried shark This image shows the positions of the fin types fins in international trade. First dorsal fin that are highly prized in international trade. Caudal fin S TO A copy of the full YE INC The global trade has driven many populations E L guide can be found T U to the edge of extinction—in some cases their Second dorsal fin O D at www.SharkFinID.org. V numbers have dropped by as much as 99 per E cent in areas where they were abundant just TH 40 years ago. E This guide is intended to help enforcement Lower caudal lobe S and customs personnel in the provisional Pectoral fins E I identification of the first dorsal fins of these shark I species. In law enforcement situations, this could AT A GLANCE S X provide probable cause to hold questionable The sharks proposed for CITES protection have P I fins, so that expert opinion could be sought or distinct white dorsal fin markings (Images 1 and E D genetic tests could be conducted to confirm 2) OR their dorsal fins are tall, slender and light CI EN the field identification. brown (Image 3). ES IN APP DORSAL FIN LANDMARKS 1 2 3 Apex Trailing edge Leading edge Porbeagle Oceanic whitetip Scalloped dorsal fin dorsal fin hammerhead Free rear tip PHOTO: JIM ABERNETHY/SEAPICS.COM PHOTO: CHRIS NEWBERT/MINDEN PICTURES/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC STOCK PHOTO: DOUG PERRINE/SEAPICS.COM Origin dorsal fin PHOTO: JIM ABERNETHY Fin Base.