Position Statement for the 17th Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission

Position Statement for the 17th Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission

Year of publication 2013

Product type Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Our organizations appreciate the opportunity to express our views regarding proposals from the European Union (EU), Australia, and the Maldives for Indian Ocean Tu Commission (IOTC) measures for sharks. We share concern over the Intertiol Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Shark Specialist Group findings that roughly half of Indian Ocean pelagic shark and ray species are classified as Threatened on the IUCN Red List, as well as alarm over the failure of most IOTC Members and Cooperating non-Contracting Parties (CPCs) to submit complete, accurate, and timely shark catch records. We appreciate the ongoing commitment by Australia and the EU to secure precautiory, effective magement measures to reverse the decline of Indian Ocean shark populations. In particular, we generally support these Parties’ efforts to protect exceptiolly vulnerable species, improve regiol shark catch data, and/or effectively implement the IOTC ban on shark finning (slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the body at sea).

Meeting Session Number 17

Language English