Global action to protect sharks and rays facing extinction

Whale sharks have been moved to the highest level of protection

A major international meeting has agreed on new rules to protect more than 70 species of sharks and rays.

The decisions were made at the 20th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which is taking place in Uzbekistan. During the meeting countries vote on rules for trading wild plants and animals across country borders.

Some of the biggest changes affect whale sharks - the world's largest fish - as well as all manta and devil rays. These species have now been moved to the highest level of protection.

This means all commercial international trade of them and their body parts is banned.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), all nine known species of manta and devil rays are threatened with extinction, and in some places their numbers have dropped by up to 92%. Whale sharks also continue to be traded for their fins.

New protections for guitarfish means countries cannot legally sell or ship the animals or their body parts

Barbara Slee from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said she welcomed the new protections.

"People may fear sharks, but the truth is we pose a far greater threat to them - with more than 100 million killed every year.

"Around the world, sharks and rays are disappearing fast. Their loss would unravel the very ecosystems that keep our oceans healthy," she added.

Other species, such as guitarfishes and wedgefishes, many of which are critically endangered, have been given a "zero export quota".

That means countries cannot legally sell or ship those animals - or their body parts - to other nations.

Tope and smooth-hound sharks, which are sometimes sold for food have also been given higher protection, allowing trade only if it will not harm the species' chance of survival.

Gulper shark

A move to protect deepwater gulper sharks was put forward by the UK government - gulper sharks grow slowly and produce very few young.

They are hunted for something called squalene, an oil found in their livers and used in cosmetics and skincare, such as face creams.

Although squalene can be made from plants, demand for it from gulper sharks remains high and three-quarters of the species are threatened with extinction.

Catherine Bell, also from IFAW, warned that many people do not realise their everyday products may contain ingredients linked to sharks.

"It is tragic that animals that have been around since the time of the dinosaurs could become extinct because of our desire for face creams and moisturisers, especially when plant-based alternatives to shark liver oil are readily available."

The decisions on trading these animals are made and put forward by the governments of different countries and will be confirmed during the last session at the conference.

The rules on trading will then come into effect 90 days after the meeting ends on 5 December.