Since 2015 the export of shark fins has been banned in India, thanks to the good work of Humane Society International/India and People for Animals. Petitioners sought to have the ban lifted and appealed to the Kerala High Court, claiming the ban affected “their fundamental right to trade. Last week the court decided to uphold the ban. Not only did […]
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CANCUN (MEXICO)- Every year between may and September whale sharks gather off the Caribbean coast of the peninsula of Yucatan. The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has decided to protect these gentle giants by creating an official refuge area of 633,000 hectares. The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources, through the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas, will enforce the protection program […]
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PUERTO JIMENEZ (COSTA RICA)- A new sanctuary in the Golfo Dulce in Costa Rica must give young Scalloped Hammerheads the opportunity to grow up in peace. Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solís announced earlier this month the designation of more than 10,000 acres of critical nursery habitat for this endangered shark species. It is thanks to the work of Rainforest Trust and its local […]
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ISTANBUL (TURKEY)- Turkey has set new measures protecting endangered sharks and rays, like angel sharks and shortfin makos. The list of prohibited species for fishing in the mediterranean country now has 14 species of sharks and rays on it. Already in 2012 the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), which includes Turkey, adopted a measure to end fishing and retention of 24 […]
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TAIPEI (TAIWAN)- Shark fins are not only popular in Hong Kong. A survey by WildAid shows that almost half of all Thai have eaten shark fin and plan to consume it again in the future. Also Taiwan is a big consumer of shark fins, importing about 500 tons of shark fins in 2017. WildAid has started campaigning Asia to raise […]
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WASHINGTON (USA)— The US National Marine Fisheries Service this week protected the oceanic whitetip shark as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The decision recognized threats from overfishing and bycatch in pelagic longline fishing gear as major reasons for drastic population declines. The listing responds to a petition from Defenders of Wildlife, with support from the Center for Biological Diversity, seeking federal protections of […]
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GALAPAGOS ISLANDS (ECUADOR)- In the waters surrounding the remote archipelago of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuadorian scientists has discovered a hammerhead shark nursery where they have been born and sheltered for nearly a million years. The Galapagos Islands lie in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, about 1,000 kilometers off South America’s Pacific coast. This unique area is famous for its […]
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