Sharks are among the most vulnerable animals taken in high seas fisheries for tuna and swordfish. The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) has led the world’s Regional Fishery Management Organizations in adoption of shark conservation measures, but has yet to agree basic, science-based limits for key shark species, or to align its finning ban with best practice.

At the 2015 annual meeting, we urge ICCAT to:• establish precautionary caps on shortfin mako and blue shark catches;• prohibit the retention of porbeagle sharks;• require that sharks be landed with all fins still naturally attached; and• expand the Convention scope for enhanced elasmobranch conservation.

© Charles Hood

Safeguarding Oceanic Sharks A Call For Action

ICCAT Annual Meeting 2015 Malta

SHARKADVOCATESINTERNATIONAL

SHARKS AT RISKConservation opportunities for ICCAT(International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas)Conservation opportunities for ICCAT(International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas)

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Belize

Brazil

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ICCAT PARTIES PROPOSING A BANON REMOVING SHARK FINS AT SEA

As of Nov 3, 2015

© Marc Dando

no iccat limits

SHARKADVOCATESINTERNATIONAL

no iccat limits

© Marc Dando

© Marc Dando

no iccat limits

Blue Sharks (Prionace glauca)• Are the dominant species in the global shark fin trade • Are increasingly retained in ICCAT fisheries• Are fished mostly by countries that don't limit the landings

TOWARD A STRONGER FINNING BANICCAT’s finning ban relies on a complicated fin-to-body ratio to monitor compliance. Many ICCAT Parties propose adding a ban on at-sea shark fin removal to: • Ease enforcement • Allow for better catch data • Make high-grading impossible

KEY SPECIES LACK SAFEGUARDSThere are ICCAT limits for oceanic whitetip, bigeye thresher, hammerhead, and silky sharks, but the most valuable and most heavily fished shark species are unprotected (makos, porbeagles, and blue sharks).

ICCAT SHARK SCIENCEICCAT scientists have:• Assessed porbeagle, shortfin mako, and blue shark populations• Stressed the need for better shark catch data• Ranked 16 shark and ray species for vulnerability to ICCAT fisheries• Recommended: – Precautionary measures for highly vulnerable shark species and/or cases of high uncertainty – No increases in fishing for shortfin makos or South Atlantic blue sharks – No catch increase or new fisheries for porbeagles; live release for those retrieved alive

Shortfin Mako Sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus)• Are commercially valuable, with both meat and fins prized• Don’t reach reproductive maturity until ~age 18 (for females)• Rank third among shark species for vulnerability to ICCAT fisheries

Reference: Report of the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics ICCAT assessments for porbeagle, mako, and blue sharks. All available at www.iccat.int

Porbeagle Sharks (Lamna nasus)• Are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species • Give birth to usually just four pups per litter• Need decades to recover from North Atlantic depletion

Finning is the wasteful practice of slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the body at sea.

OUR ORGANIZATIONS URGE ICCAT• Cap mako and blue shark catch• Prohibit porbeagle retention• Ban at-sea shark fin removal

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Les requins figurent parmi les animaux les plus vulnérables capturés dans les pêcheries de thon et d’espadon en haute mer. La Commission Internationale pour la Conservation des Thonidés de l’Atlantique (CICTA) a encouragé les organisations régionales de gestion de la pêche du monde entier à adopter des mesures de protection des requins. Il lui reste cependant à fixer des limites de base fondées sur la recherche scientifique pour les principales espèces de requins concernées, ou à aligner son interdiction du finning sur les meilleures pratiques.Lors de sa réunion annuelle de 2015, nous demandons à la CICTA :• d’établir des plafonds de précaution pour les captures de requin-taupe bleu (Isurus oxyrinchus)

et de requin peau bleue (Prionace glauca) ;• d’interdire la rétention du requin-taupe commun (Lamna nasus) ;• d’exiger que les requins soient débarqués avec toutes leurs nageoires encore

naturellement attachées ;• d’élargir le champ de la Convention pour améliorer la conservation des élasmobranches.

Os tubarões estão entre os animais mais vulneráveis capturados em alto-mar nas pescarias ao atum e ao espadarte. A Comissão Internacional para a Conservação dos Tunídeos do Atlântico (CICTA) levou as Organizações Regionais de Gestão das Pescas mundiais a adotar medidas de conservação dos tubarões, mas ainda não conseguiu que se acordassem limites básicos, de base científica para espécies-chave de tubarões, nem que se conciliasse a proibição de “finning” com as boas práticas.Na reunião anual de 2015 a CICTA deve:• Definir limites de precaução para as capturas de tubarão-anequim (Isurus oxyrinchus)

e tintureira (Prionace glauca)• Proibir a retenção de tubarão-sardo (Lamna nasus)• Exigir que os tubarões sejam desembarcados com todas as barbatanas naturalmente

unidas ao corpo• Alargar o âmbito da Convenção para uma melhor preservação dos elasmobrânquios.

Los tiburones figuran entre los animales más vulnerables capturados en las pesquerías de alta mar que se dedican a la pesca del atún y el pez espada. La Comisión Internacional para la Conservación del Atún Atlántico (CICAA, aunque más conocida por sus siglas en inglés, ICCAT) ha liderado a las Organizaciones Regionales de Ordenación Pesquera (OROPs) en la adopción de medidas de protección para los tiburones, aunque aún tiene que acordar límites básicos y basados en las evidencias científicas para toda una serie de especies de tiburones clave, así como alinear con las mejores prácticas existentes su prohibición de corte de las aletas de tiburón, también conocido como “aleteo”.Instamos a la ICCAT a que, en su reunión anual de 2015:• establezca topes precautorios para las capturas de marrajo (Isurus oxyrinchus)

y tintorera (Prionace glauca);• prohíba la retención de marrajos sardineros (Lamna nasus);• exija que los tiburones sean desembarcados con las aletas adheridas de manera natural; y• amplíe el ámbito de aplicación de la Convención para otorgar una mayor protección a los

elasmobranquios.

SHARKADVOCATESINTERNATIONAL

ICCAT Annual Meeting 2015 Malta

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