PROCESS FOR DESIGNATING WCPFC KEY SHARK SPECIES FOR DATA PROVISION AND ASSESSMENT

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Porbeagle
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.395.8427; http://www.wcpfc.int/system/files/Key-Doc-SC-08-Process-Designation-Key-WCPFC-Shark-Species.pdf

as well as such other species of fish as the Commission may determine (WCPFC 2000). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ’ (FAO) International Plan of Action- Sharks, which includes non-shark species of chondrichthyan fishes such as skates, rays and chimaeras, also calls on concerned States to collaborate in the conservation and management of transboundary, straddling, highly migratory and high seas stocks (FAO 1999). The WCPFC first articulated which of the over one thousand chondrichthyan fishes were priorities for conservation and management in 2008 when it adopted CMM 2008-06. This conservation and management measure (CMM) listed blue, oceanic whitetip, mako (two species) and thresher (three species) sharks as key shark species. Silky sharks were added to the list when this CMM was amended in 2009 (CMM 2009-04). At WCPFC7, the Commission increased the number of key shark species from eight to 13 with the addition of porbeagle and four species of hammerhead sharks (CMM 2010-07), but maintained the focus of the Shark Research Plan on the original eight species until further funding is made available (WCPFC 2010a). The designation of these key shark species was based on ad hoc consideration of a number of factors including: i) high risk from fishing activities based on the WCPFC’s Ecological Risk Assessment project; ii) ease of identification; and iii) frequency of reporting in annual