New shark protections have been agreed by world governments at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
The decisions improve protections for several species, including hammerhead and thresher sharks.
Key Protections agreed at COP15 include the following species:
- Thresher Sharks (Pelagic, Bigeye, Common) – Appendix I: All three species are now listed on CMS Appendix I.
- Scalloped Hammerhead Shark: has now been added to Appendix I.
- Great Hammerhead Shark: has now been added to Appendix I.
- Patagonian Narrownose Smoothhound: has now been added to Appendix II.
Commenting on the new agreement, Dana Tricarico of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Global Shark Conservation Team stated:
“Iconic ocean wanderers like large hammerheads and thresher sharks, that are already assessed by the IUCN as threatened with extinction should be fully protected – and these CMS Appendix I listings are an important recognition that this should happen now. These listings recognize that slow growing Endangered shark species should be treated like other marine wildlife such as sea turtles or dolphins, and these listings should drive that action — but success will depend on how quickly and effectively countries implement these new obligations at a national level.”
While WCS Shark and Ray coordinator in Argentina Juan Martin Cuevas added:
“This species supports small-scale coastal fisheries, where they are caught both intentionally and as bycatch. But their populations, and the communities that depend on them, are increasingly at risk without coordinated management. Since 2022, WCS teams have been working alongside local partners to monitor these fisheries, helping to identify trends and support science-based management in close collaboration with communities — and we will continue to do so to implement these new listings.”
