Shark Focus

The Shark TrustFuture Conservation ObjectivesCHINa updateby Richard PeirceDespite global progress on a number of fronts, many shark species stillrequire urgent management or protection, while existing management isoften in need of strengthening or effective enforcement. There remains muchto be achieved.Over the next five years the Shark Trust’s priority objectives for policy andpublic awareness will include:Oceanic Whitetip. © Morton Beier.Improved conservation of threatened shark species at UK, EU andinternational levels, through effective advocacy and implementation ofprotective legislation, including: species listings on CITES at the 2013Conference of Parties; maximising opportunities developed throughthe Convention on Migratory Species ‘Memorandum of Understandingfor Sharks’ in the build-up to the next Conference of Parties in 2014;increase the focus on Regional Fisheries Management Organisations(RFMOs) as a route for more effective management for sharks on thehigh seas, through the introduction of catch limits and tighter finningregulations;Tightening the European shark finning ban by delivering a cessationof the provision of Special Fishing Permits and enforcement ofsimultaneous landings of fins and carcasses through adoption andimplementation of a fins naturally attached landings policy (hopefullyadopted by the end of 2012);Influencing the implementation of an effective and robust EuropeanCommunity Plan of Action for Sharks and equivalent domesticframeworks;Delivery of recovery plans for the most threatened species;Working with government and stakeholders to achieve sustainablemanagement of non-threatened shark species through significantlyimproved management;Securing protection for vulnerable species under domestic policy;Addressing the issue of excessive shark bycatch and the requirement forderogations from the proposed EU discards ban;Maintaining and expanding public involvement in conservation activitiesand extending the geographic range of popular projects such as theGreat Eggcase Hunt and the Basking Shark Photo-ID project;Demonstrating and facilitating best practice and adherence to Codes ofConduct in the recreational sector;Continuing to raise awareness of sharks;Working effectively with the Shark Trust membership to ensure retentionand expansion;Continuing to build a strong and stable Shark Trust.To see how you can get more involved visit theShark Trust at www.sharktrust.org.In June 2011 the Shark Trust presented ‘SharkChampion’ awards to Ding Liguo, Wan Jie, andJim Zhang. These awards were in recognitionof their proposals to the Chinese governmentseeking a ban on the import of shark fins.On June 18th this year China’s State Council GovernmentOffices Administration (GOA) issued a “GOA OfficialLetter (2012-21) which replied to the motion of“Suggesting banning shark fin consumption fromgovernment banquets and meals”. In the letter the StateCouncil praised Mr Ding Liguo of the National People’sCongress (NPC) for proposing the motion, and noted MrLiguo’s objective analysis of the reasons for banningshark fin consumption at government banquets. Theletter mentioned the beneficial effect the ban would havein conserving marine eco-systems and their balance,that it would help promote a green and environmentallyfriendly lifestyle, would improve food security, anddecrease the cost of government entertaining. An officialState Council spokesperson confirmed that the banwould be in effect throughout China within three years.Early in 2011 Jim Zhang joined with Ding Liguo of theNPC, and Wan Jie of the Chinese People’s PoliticalConsultative Conference (CPPCC) and formulatedthe strategy which led to each of them, Liguo and Jie,proposing the import ban to the NPC and the CPPCC.However after the 2011 sessions of the NPC and theCPPCC Zhang and his political colleagues realised therewould be no quick route to a ban on fin importing. Manysectors are involved among which are trade, customs,health, fisheries, agriculture and others and Zhangrealised the proposed legislation could, and probablywould, get bogged down and take many years.This realisation led to our ‘Shark Champions’ re-adjustingtheir positions and looking for a faster way of limitingshark fin consumption. According to the rules if an NPCmotion is supported by 30 congressional signatures, anda CPPCC motion by 50, they have to be fully consideredand must be responded to. Both Liguo and Jie secured therequisite signatures and made the same proposal to eachlegislative body that, “Shark fin consumption be bannedfrom all government’s banquets and meals”.As mentioned earlier this proposal has been officiallyaccepted and is being put into action, and Zhang believesit will be remembered as a milestone in China’s progresstowards protecting sharks.With the once in a decade hand over of political powersacross China being due later this year, the Communistparty may have begun to recognise public outrage at theway in which officials feast at the taxpayer’s expense.This will certainly have helped the passage of the“banquet ban” on shark fins as the Communist Partywill have been seen curbing the cost of taxpayer fundeddining. An immediate effect of the proposed ban wasthat in July the price of shark fins in Beijing’s largest fishmarket crashed by 30 percent in a few days.Whether the real motivation for government actionwas conservation or cost cutting, the effect cannotbut be beneficial to shark conservation. Such actionsare powerful examples and send powerful messages,and Zhang, Wan and Liguo are to be congratulated ontheir part in this valuable step forward. NGO’s andshark conservationists around the world applauded themove, and many noted that this was the first officialgovernment action in support of sharks, which meantthat China acknowledged the problems caused by sharkfinning and the need for action.For many years WildAid has been campaigning fora fin ban in China, and in more recent times hasbeen joined by several Chinese celebrities includingthe NBA superstar Yao Min. Sir Richard Branson isalso supporting a ban, and China’s young people areincreasingly turning their backs on the ways of the past.Perhaps there’s not just cause for hope, but for cautiousoptimism as well?[Editors note – some passages of this piece have beentranslated directly from Chinese government documents]1 2Image 1: Shark Trust Chairman Richard Peirce presents SharkChampion awards - Beijing, 2011. © Richard Peirce.Image 2: Fins for sale in a Taiwan market. Image from WikiCommons.Image 3: Shark fin soup, a national delicacy. © Chee Hong.Image 4: Great Hall of the People - the meeting place of theNational People’s Congress. © Dennis Jarvis.3420 www.sharktrust.org Shark Focus 45 Shark Focus 45 www.sharktrust.org/finning 21