The CITES appendix II-Listing of mako sharks
The CITES appendix II-Listing of mako sharks — Revisiting counter arguments
Nikolas Sellheim
ABSTRACT:
At the 18th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in August 2019, shortfin and longfin mako sharks were listed on Appendix II. This listing now requires CITES parties to issue import and export permits and to closely monitor international trade in mako products. In this paper, three core arguments are being revisited that were uttered against a listing of the mako shark: that it is not scientifically justifiable; that it will cause implementation problems and will have limited conservation success; and that regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) are better suited to manage mako sharks. It is concluded that while the mako is not yet endangered globally, the precautionary approach justifies its listing. At the same time, although there will in all likelihood be implementation problems, the overall effect of the listing will be positive. Lastly, given their limited scope and focus on utilisation of economically valuable species, RFMOs are not well-suited for the conservation of mako sharks.
Marine Policy, Volume 115, May 2020, DOI: 10.1016/j.marpol.2020.103887