20 February 2013: The Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) has announced that Vanuatu has joined the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks (Sharks MoU) as its 26th Signatory. Vanuatu signed the MoU in the Philippines on 19 February 2013.

The Sharks MoU was adopted to help develop management measures to protect threatened shark species, such as basking, longfin mako and whale sharks. It also aims to improve fisheries data for threatened shark species and better the coordination of shark management and conservation at regional and international levels, including proposals to limit catch or trade in endangered species of shark. [CMS Notification]