30 January 2013: The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) Secretariat announced that comments have been provided to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat on the marine species proposals for listing on CITES Appendix I or II at the forthcoming 16th Conference of the Parties in Bangkok, Thailand, from 3-14 March 2013.

In its comments, the Secretariat draws attention to three species: manta ray (Manta birostris), porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus) and the West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis). The Secretariat notes that in listing the manta ray, it accepts the rationale that this species is very vulnerable to human exploitation, such as direct or indirect fishing pressure and that the increased demand for fins, liver and gill filament, has led to an increase in direct fishing of this species.

With regard to the porbeagle shark, it highlights that the Conservation Plan adopted under the CMS Sharks Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entails the development and implementation of additional measures to ensure legal and sustainable international trade in sharks and shark products and calls for the implementation and enforcement of existing fisheries conservation and management measures and trade regulations on shark fisheries through effective monitoring, control and surveillance.

Finally, with regard to the West African manatee, it says that the CMS Action Plan for the Conservation of the West African Manatee acknowledges commercial trade, both for regional markets and internationally, as one of the driving forces of population declines throughout the species’ range. [CMS Notifications]