Shark finning a high priority
Europe’s threatened sharks were thrown a lifeline today as the European Council announced their conclusions and priority actions regarding the Community Plan of Action for Sharks.
The Community Plan of Action for Sharks (CPOA) comes nearly ten years after the governments of the United Nations pledged to produce shark conservation plans for their waters. Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of campaigning by the Shark Trust and other members of the Shark Alliance. The Council Conclusions prioritise the need for a prompt review of the shark finning legislation and identify an urgent need to improve data collection to aid species management and conservation.
At the launch of the CPOA in February the European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Joe Borg positively endorsed the plan, saying: “Sharks are very vulnerable to overexploitation and the consequences of depleting their numbers may have very serious consequences not only for sharks but also for marine ecosystems and for fishermen themselves.”
In a statement today to the Shark Trust the UK Fisheries Minister, Mr Huw Irranca-Davies reinforced his position saying: “I strongly support the EU shark plan of action. We must do all we can to protect and sustainably manage these vulnerable species. I am delighted that the Council conclusions on the plan have now been adopted and am personally pleased to see a commitment in the conclusions to reviewing the Council Regulation on shark finning.”
Irranca-Davies went on say: “Finning is a wasteful practice and it is essential that this Regulation is strengthened and I will be considering if the UK should cease to issue special fishing permits. The UK will also be working to ensure that the plan produces robust, workable and effective measures.”
The Shark Trust welcomed the announcement of the Council Conclusions with Director of Conservation, Ali Hood commenting: “A coherent approach to shark conservation and management is long overdue and the Community Plan of Action for Sharks represents a framework for positive action, what we urgently need now is demonstrations of commitment by Member States to deliver on the promises of the Council Conclusions. The Shark Trust was pleased by the degree of support demonstrated by the UK Government who sought every opportunity to ensure the Council Conclusions could deliver on the plans potential.”
The Trust is encouraged that the Council have prioritised the need for a revision of the shark finning ban, and its associated derogations, which currently allow the removal of shark fins at sea through the allocation of Special Fishing Permits. The Shark Trust will continue to advocate for the UK Government to cease the provision of these permits and their resolve is strengthened by the Minister’s acknowledgement of this issue. Five countries issue Special Fishing Permits: Spain, Portugal, Germany, Lithuania and the UK – UK permit holders currently land over 80 tonnes of shark fins per year.
Hood further stressed: “Although the Council’s proposal to improve the knowledge on sharks and their role in the ecosystem is welcomed, the Trust is concerned that some Member States may use the need for increased data collection as an excuse to maintain the status quo. With over 30% of Europe’s sharks already threatened with extinction in the wild one certainty is that action is required as a matter of urgency.”
Priority Action – Shark finning:
Europe’s role in the shark fin trade is often overlooked, but with about 30% of the fins entering the Hong Kong fin trade originating from European vessels a priority field of action within the CPOA is the proposal to strengthen the EU shark finning regulation.
The Shark Trust was instrumental in the adoption of Europe’s first shark finning regulation in 2003. Although the current regulation forbids the removal of shark fins at sea, Member States can opt to provide registered vessels with ‘Special Fishing Permits’ which allow the removal of fins at sea providing fins and carcasses are landed in compliance with a complicated 5% fin:carcass ratio.
Five member states provide special fishing permits: the UK is one of them landing in excess of 80 tonnes of shark fin a year.
The Shark Plan proposes to address this loophole seeking a strengthening of the ratio and reviewing the derogation which currently permit the allocation of Special Fishing Permits. However, the Shark Trust feels strongly that the most reliable means to prohibit finning is to adhere to the original intent of the regulation and ensure all sharks are landed with their fins attached. In fact the UK Government has encouraged the European Commission to explore the potential of fins attached as a viable option. In this vein the Trust strongly advocates that the UK cease the provision of special fishing permits and is in discussion with the UK Fisheries Minister regarding this. In April a cross party group of MPs lead by Martin Horwood the Shadow Environment Minister for the Liberal Democrats sponsored an Early Day Motion in support of the Shark Trust’s position.
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