Costa Rica to Include Shark Species on Endangered List

The Costa Rican Environment, Energy and Telecommunications Ministry (MINAET) said that it will support a proposal to include eight different species of sharks in Appendix II during the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Their inclusion would protect the sharks from commerce and control any removal of the animal from its habitat.

Representatives from 175 countries will meet in Doha, Qatar from March 13 to 25 for the Fifteenth Conference of the Parties to vote on the on the inclusion of these species of sharks. Attendees will rule whether or not to add 41 more species of Costa Rica flora and fauna to guarantee their protection.

Among these, are the North Atlantic red tuna and red coral.

Appendix II is the second of three different categories of control in CITES. Appendix II allows for the “controlled trade” of any species that is included under its classification. Appendix I completely prohibits the trade of any plant or animal on its list.

MarViva, a Costa Rican marine conservation group, announced that they will vote for the inclusion of the North Atlantic red tuna in Appendix I of CITES.

The sharks MINAET officials hope to include on the list include three types of hammerhead sharks, the gray shark, the sand shark, the oceanic whitetip shark, the spiny dogfish shark, and the white sardine shark.

MINAET's declaration of their support for including these animals in the CITES register come on the heels of the announcement that the ministry will spend $26,000 on a national campaign to help prevent illegal trafficking of Costa Rica flora and fauna. As part of the campaign, MINAET will buy new vigilance equipment and post public announcements at Costa Rica national parks and border crossings.

 

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