European Commission welcomes landmark agreement on the conservation of North Atlantic Shortfin Mako shark

News Release

European Commission

24. November 2021

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The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) reached yesterday afternoon a landmark agreement on a Recommendation on the conservation of North Atlantic stock of shortfin mako shark. Welcoming the agreement, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, said:

“Today’s agreement is an important step forward on the road to recovery of this iconic species. Thanks also to the EU’s leadership in the negotiations, we have managed to establish an effective rebuilding program for North Atlantic shortfin mako shark, including immediate action to reduce mortality and end overfishing.”

The agreement reached by all parties around the ICCAT table this year is crucial as it kick-starts a rebuilding programme for North Atlantic shortfin mako shark in 2022, after two years of unsuccessful negotiations. Once in force, the robust measure agreed will lead to ending the overfishing of this vulnerable stock and will chart a path for its recovery. One of the key aims of the Recommendation is to drive down mortality rates significantly. The Recommendation includes complementary measures, such as best handling practices and tasks the scientific body of ICCAT to explore a range of mitigation measures, from spatial and temporal closures to gear modification, to assist this ambitious rebuilding program.

Source: European Commission

Related Press Release by the ICCAT: ICCAT agreed a new conservation measure for the North Atlantic shortfin mako shark

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