Lifeline for hunted shark species
Sawtooth sharks hunted to the edge of extinction were thrown a lifeline on Monday in the form of a ban on international trade in the fish or its parts by the U.N. body regulating wildlife commerce. Prized for their fins by Chinese gourmets and for their distinctive saw-like snouts by trophy hunters, all but one of seven sawfish species were granted the highest level of protection possible under CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The 171-nation body approved a request from Australia that the seventh species be included in the less restrictive Appendix II, allowing trade in live animals to public aquaria for conservation purposes only. While current population levels in the wild are not known, the extreme rarity of sightings has led conservationists to conclude that the species in critically endangered. "The sawfish have disappeared form waters stretching from the east coast of the United States to South-East Asia", said Susan Lieberman, Director of the World Wild life Fund's global species programmes. She said Monday's decision was a positive step. But added: "It is a pity that the CITES parties are only able to throw a lifeline to shark species when they are on the brink of extension". China, Qatar and Indonesia were among the countries that voted against the measure.
(The Hindu,12th June 2007)
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