Conservación de los tiburones

EU Plan of Action for the Conservation of Sharks released

On 4 February 2009 the Shark Alliance celebrated the release of the European Commission’s long-awaited Plan of Action for the Conservation of Sharks. The Plan sets the stage for sweeping improvements in European Union (EU) shark fishing and protection policies, by aiming to improve information about shark fisheries, end shark overfishing, pay special attention to threatened shark species, and close loopholes in the EU ban on shark finning. This was welcome news, but the success of the plan depends on prompt implementation and follow-through on commitments, for which the EU still has a mixed record. Last December, EU Fisheries Ministers agreed landmark protection for four highly endangered shark and ray species and yet also adopted excessive 2009 quotas for severely overfished spurdog and porbeagle sharks. The new Shark Plan dictates that catch limits be set in line with scientific advice. In order to be in line with the Plan, therefore, managers must set 2010 limits for spurdog and porbeagle, as well as deepwater sharks, at zero.