Sharks defeated at U.N. wildlife trade talks - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Sharks defeated at U.N. wildlife trade talks

By Anna Mudeva
Fri Jun 8, 12:56 PM ET

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A United Nations forum on endangered
species rejected bids on Friday to put in place controls on the
multi-million dollar trade in two types of sharks, highly prized for
their meat and fins.

The spiny dogfish, also known as rock salmon, and the porbeagle
shark failed to get protection from the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Conservationists slammed the decision, saying today's rejection and
Thursday's failure to limit lucrative trade in cedar and rosewood
timber highlighted the strength of commercial interests over
wildlife protection.

-snip-

Fishing nations such as Japan, Norway, Korea, China and some South
American countries opposed CITES protection for the sharks, saying
the convention was not the right place to manage commercial fisheries.

They were backed by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
which recognized a significant population decline in some regions but
said globally the sharks did not meet the biological decline criteria
for listing on Appendix II.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070608/sc_nm/cites_sharks_dc

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Source: BBC News

Last Updated: Friday, 8 June 2007, 14:54 GMT 15:54 UK

Shark trade restriction bid fails
By Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News website, The Hague

Attempts to restrict trade in two threatened shark species through
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
have failed.

Delegates voted down EU proposals to limit trade in the spiny dogfish,
sold in UK fish and chip shops as huss or rock salmon, and the
porbeagle.

Some said it was an EU problem which the EU should solve.

A scheduled debate on protecting another shark species, the sawfish,
was postponed.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6735047.stm