The World Just Did Something It’s Never Done for Sharks

The groundbreaking declaration that took place last week at CITES COP20

For centuries, Samarkand, in Uzbekistan, was one of the great trading posts of the Silk Road. Spices, textiles, and ideas moved through its markets on their way between continents. Last week, nearly 3,000 delegates gathered in the same city to decide what the world should stop trading altogether.

They were there for CITES, and if you haven’t heard of it, it stands for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It’s an international agreement between governments, and its purpose is to make sure that trade in wild animals and plants doesn’t drive species to extinction. The agreement covers more than 40,000 species, everything from live animals to fur coats to dried herbs to shark fins. Wildlife trade is worth billions of dollars annually and involves hundreds of millions of specimens. Because that trade crosses borders, no single country can regulate it alone. CITES exists to make 185 governments work together.

The Convention turned 50 this year. It entered into force in 1975, and its 20th Conference of the Parties chose Samarkand to mark the anniversary. Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero opened proceedings by noting the symbolism.

“Samarkand, a city that for centuries stood as a crossroads of cultures, ideas, and trade, is a symbol of connection, dialogue, and cooperation, the very values that define CITES.”

What followed was the most comprehensive set of shark and ray protections the Convention has ever approved. Seven proposals passed. For the first time in history, a shark species has received full protection with a complete ban on international trade

Credit: National Committee on Ecology of Uzbekistan

What Was Actually Protected

Let me be specific about what happened, because the details matter.

Four species groups received Appendix I protection, which bans all international commercial trade outright. Oceanic whitetip sharks, once among the most abundant predators in the open ocean, have declined by more than 80 percent. The vote to uplist them passed with 83 percent support: 110 countries in favour, 22 against, 6 abstentions. Panama championed the proposal, with 13 parties speaking in its favour. These sharks are now Critically Endangered and still illegally caught for their fins despite existing protections.

An oceanic whitetip shark swims near the surface of the water. Credit: John Carlson

All ten species of manta and devil rays received the same protection. Ecuador led that proposal. These animals are targeted for their gill plates, which are used in traditional Asian medicines despite no evidence of health benefits. In some areas, mobulid populations have collapsed by 90 percent or more under unregulated trade. They reproduce so slowly (one pup every few years, late maturity, slow growth) that populations simply cannot recover from sustained fishing pressure.

Whale sharks, the largest fish on Earth and a cornerstone of marine ecotourism, have declined by approximately 92 percent globally. The Maldives led the push for their Appendix I listing. They’re still caught for fins, oil, and meat.

Giant guitarfish and wedgefish, among the most threatened shark and ray families on the planet, will now have zero-export quotas under Appendix II. Benin and Senegal spearheaded these proposals. This effectively halts all international trade in wild-caught specimens until populations can recover. Some of these species have declined by 99 percent.

The giant guitarfish feeds on fish, crustaceans and bivalve-type shellfish found on the sea bed

Tope sharks, smoothhounds, and deep-sea gulper sharks received new Appendix II listings, meaning any trade must now be permitted and proven sustainable. Brazil and the EU co-led the smooth-hound and tope listing. The UK and EU co-sponsored the gulper shark proposal. Gulper sharks are targeted for their liver oil, which contains squalene used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Their populations have fallen by around 80 percent regionally, yet until now this trade was virtually unregulated. Smoothhounds are often marketed under generic labels like “flake,” which has made enforcement nearly impossible.

By the end of CoP20, more than 50 countries had co-sponsored the suite of shark and ray measures. The coalition stretched across Latin America, Africa, the Pacific, and Asia. Countries that rarely agree on anything found common ground here.

Luke Warwick from the Wildlife Conservation Society called it a landmark victory and ‘a watershed moment for all sharks and rays.’ Guy Stevens, CEO of The Manta Trust, described the mobulid uplisting as a turning point, saying that Appendix I protection ‘closes down international trade, reducing demand-driven incentives for overfishing.’ The Wildlife Justice Commission called the oceanic whitetip ban ‘an essential and long-overdue recognition of the scale of illegal trade’ threatening the species.

I don’t write good news very often. The ocean doesn’t give me much to work with. So let me be clear, this matters. Fifty years into the Convention’s existence, countries finally agreed to close the loopholes that have allowed demand for fins, gill plates, meat, and liver oil to drive population collapses across an entire class of animals. Shark and ray products are now treated with the same legal weight as elephant ivory or rhino horn.

I’ve told you the good news. Now here’s what could go wrong.

Why did previous protections fail? What does genetic testing tell us about illegal trade? What has to happen in the next two years for any of this to matter?

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