13 June 2014
Asian Shark Fishing and Trading States Adopt Xiamen Declaration
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A regional workshop for key Asian shark fishing and trading States reviewed the status of sharks as well as the legal, administrative and management regimes for shark fisheries.

Participants assessed the challenges and opportunities afforded by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) marine species listings.

CITES12 June 2014: A regional workshop for key Asian shark fishing and trading States reviewed the status of sharks as well as the legal, administrative and management regimes for shark fisheries. Participants assessed the challenges and opportunities afforded by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) marine species listings.

The workshop concluded with the adoption of the Xiamen Declaration and the agreement to pursue a series of priority actions described in the report, ‘Regional Consultative Workshop on Capacity Assessments for the Implementation of New CITES Listings of Sharks and Manta Rays for Asian States,’ which will be available in the near future. In the Declaration, participating states, inter alia: recommend that African countries that fish and trade sharks consider using the priority actions for the implementation of CITES requirements; and encourage all countries to closely collaborate with Regional Fisheries Bodies and use existing regional wildlife enforcement networks in relation to CITES-listed marine species.

The workshop, held in Xiamen, China, from 13-15 May 2014, brought together representatives from CITES and fisheries authorities from 13 shark-fishing countries, with the European Commission and Japan as observers. The meeting was hosted by the State Forestry Administration as CITES Management of Authority of China, in cooperation with the Bureau of Fisheries and Fisheries Law Enforcement, and the Ministry of Agriculture of China.[CITES News] [Xiamen Declaration and Action Plan]

 

 

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