But until last week, there were no international controls to regulate trade in these species, despite growing demand for their livers.
That has now changed with the latest decisions adopted at CITES, which Warwick says marks a turning point in marine conservation.
For much of its 50-year history, the convention focused on protecting iconic land species such as elephants, rhinos, primates and parrots, or charismatic marine animals such as sea turtles, Warwick said. In 1981, CITES had imposed an international ban on all international trade in sea turtles, which Warwick credited with helping some species make notable comebacks in recent decades. Only in the past decade, Warwick says, has the convention slowly begun to recognize sharks and rays with a similar urgency.
This year's COP20 adopted all proposed protection measures for sharks and rays, largely with unanimous support from the 185 member states of CITES and the European Union, something Warwick said had never happened before.
The European Union is one of the largest suppliers of shark meat to the Southeast and East Asian markets, with imports and exports accounting for more than 20 percent of the global shark meat trade, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
Gulper sharks, intended for their liver, as well as smooth sharks and tope sharks, fished mainly for their meat, were listed in CITES Appendix II. Each list includes multiple species (20 species of dogfish and 30 species of smoothhounds), grouped together because their products cannot be reliably distinguished in trade.
The listing requires all CITES Parties to strictly regulate international trade in the species and demonstrate whether it is traceable and biologically sustainable. Some species, including wedgefish and giant guitarfish – large shark-like rays targeted for their highly valuable fins – are now protected by a temporary trade suspension.
Others, such as oceanic whitetip fish, whale sharks, manta rays and devil rays, can no longer be traded internationally at all. Under the new protection provisions, CITES now lists them as Appendix I species, meaning they face a real risk of extinction due to trade and enjoy the highest level of protection under the treaty.
