CITES Protects Sharks and Manta Rays

the oceanic whitetip, one of the newly protected species

This is big news in the world of sharks and rays conservation! CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), has announced that they have placed 5 endangered sharks and manta rays under CITES control. Under this, the oceanic whitetip (Carcharhinus longimanus), scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrma lewini), great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran), smooth hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zigaena) and the porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus), are protected, along with the manta ray (Manta birostris). From now on, all of the above species must be harvested with a CITES permit,  and evidence must be provided that they are harvested sustainably and legally.

credit to sharkangels.org

note: the oceanic white tip picture is not mine. credits to http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carcharhinus_longimanus_1.jpg