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POSITION STATEMENT General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean 41st Session, October 2017

The Trust and Project Our organizations urge GFCM Parties enforcement standards adopted AWARE are pleased to observe to stem declines and safeguard in recent years by North Atlantic the deliberations of the General Mediterranean elasmobranchs by: Regional Fisheries Management Fisheries Commission for the • Strengthening the GFCM ban on Organizations (RFMOs) through Mediterranean (GFCM). Our finning (slicing off a shark’s fin a prohibition on the removal organizations – together with and discarding the body at sea) of shark fins on-board vessels. Shark Advocates International and by requiring that all are Experts have demonstrated that Ecology Action Centre – are focused landed with their fins attached; under such a policy: on the conservation of sharks and • Ensuring national, species- • Enforcement burden is greatly rays (elasmobranchs) because specific fishing and retention reduced; of their inherent vulnerability to prohibitions are in place for • Information on species and overexploitation. Protection of all 24 elasmobranch species quantities of sharks landed is Mediterranean elasmobranchs is Shark covered under the 2012 GFCM vastly improved; and a primary goal of our new ban (GFCM/36/2012/3); and League coalition based on the • “High-grading” (mixing bodies Documenting in detail species’ exceptionally dire regional • and fins from different ) domestic implementation of all status. Particularly alarming is the is impossible. Mediterranean elasmobranch 2016 regional Red List assessment conservation commitments. The technique of partially cutting by the International Union for and folding fins against the body Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Preventing Shark Finning can address industry concerns that found more than half of 72 about safety and storage. Mediterranean shark and ray species We stress that this annual meeting Because of its many practical threatened with extinction, and offers an important opportunity advantages, the fins-naturally- 13 species already locally extinct, for the GFCM to align its shark attached method is mandated in primarily due to . finning ban with the best practice the European Union (EU), Central America, much of South America, the United States, and Canada (by March 2018). Now in place under the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) and the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), the policy is gaining acceptance within the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Thanks to leadership from the EU, Egypt and many other Parties, the vast majority of the ICCAT membership now supports such a change. We urge the GFCM to prohibit without exception removal of shark fins on-board vessels, as well as the retention, transshipment, and landing of fins that are not naturally attached to carcasses.

© Michael Gallagher/Shark Trust Protecting Threatened Species especially valuable and vulnerable We remain concerned that associated elasmobranchs, from economically details and regulations are lacking, We applaud the GFCM for taking important shortfin makos to and are eager to explore opportunities groundbreaking action to protect Critically Endangered angel sharks. for ensuring urgently needed progress the 24 shark and ray species listed on toward the important commitments the Barcelona Convention’s Annex II We look forward to continuing made in 2012. of the Protocol concerning specially discussions from recent GFCM protected areas and biological meetings on Compliance Our coalition is hopeful for diversity in the Mediterranean and illegal, unreported and effective collaboration in through GFCM/36/2012/3. By unregulated (IUU) fishing in implementing these and other banning retention and mandating order to further encourage and measures to safeguard the careful release, this measure has understand implementation of this Mediterranean’s exceptionally great potential to protect many vital measure at the national level. vulnerable sharks and rays.

Elasmobranch species listed • Spiny butterfly rayGymnura • Smooth hammerhead Sphyrna on Barcelona Convention Annex II altavela Critically Endangered zygaena Critically Endangered and covered by GFCM/36/2012/3, • Giant devil ray Mobula mobular • Scalloped hammerhead Sphyrna with their regional Red List status. Endangered lewini Endangered • • Smalltooth sand tiger • Great Hammerhead Sphyrna taurus Critically Endangered ferox Critically Endangered mokarran Endangered • • Angular rough shark Oxynotus • Smoothback Angel Shark carcharias Critically Endangered centrina Critically Endangered Squatina oculata Critically Endangered • Cetorhinus • Smalltooth sawfishPristis maximus Endangered pectinata Critically Endangered • Sawback Angel Shark Squatina aculeata Critically Endangered • Shortfin makoIsurus oxyrinchus • Largetooth sawfishPristis pristis Critically Endangered Critically Endangered • Angel Shark Squatina squatina • Tope Galeorhinus galeus • Common skate Dipturus batis Critically Endangered Vulnerable Critically Endangered Pursuant to GFCM/36/2012/3, these • Porbeagle nasus Critically • Blackchin guitarfishRhinobatos species “cannot be retained on board, Endangered cemiculus Endangered transshipped, landed, transferred, • Sandy skate Leucoraja circularis • Common guitarfishRhinobatos stored, sold or displayed or offered Critically Endangered rhinobatos Endangered for sale” and “must be released un- harmed and alive to the extent possi- • Maltese skate Leucoraja • White skate Rostroraja alba melitensis Critically Endangered Endangered ble,” and ensured “a high protection from fishing activities.”

Partners Shark Advocates International Project AWARE (, USA) (Washington, DC, USA) is a project brings to the shark and ray policy Sustained engagement by of The Ocean Foundation based on debate the special, influential experienced conservationists 25 years of expertise in securing voice of its global constituency is vital for driving ambitious science-based shark and ray of 1.2 million scuba divers, policies that ensure long- fishing limits, threatened species along with an extensive network term sustainability of shared protections, and finning bans at local, for communications and citizen resources. The organizations national, and international levels. action. that make up the Shark Shark Trust Ecology Action Centre League have exceptional (Devon, UK) is (Nova collective experience the United Kingdom’s leading Scotia, Canada) is a recognized in science-based shark conservation organization dedicated leader in Canadian conservation conservation and a history of to sharks and rays, with a 20-year policy, and the only Canadian record of effective independent and conservation group consistently successful collaboration. collaborative advocacy toward key engaging on shark policy issues at UK and EU policy gains. national and international levels. Website: www.sharkleague.org | Email: [email protected] The Shark League for the Atlantic and Mediterranean is funded by the Global Partnership for Sharks and Rays.

SHARK ADVOCATES INTERNATIONAL

sharkadvocates.org sharktrust.org projectaware.org ecologyaction.ca Sonja Fordham Ali Hood Ania Budziak Katie Schleit President Director of Conservation Associate Director, Programs Senior Marine Campaign Coordinator [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]