The city of Samarkand, in Uzbekistan, gathered thousands of representatives from 185 countries to analyze the impact of international trade on biodiversity. In this setting, sharks and rays took center stage due to their alarming decline.
During the sessions, the Parties approved all proposals aimed at raising the protection levels of these species. The result set a global precedent, considered the most comprehensive advance in the history of the convention.
The decisions made were supported by scientific evidence provided by conservation organizations, including WCS Argentina. The information demonstrated the severity of the overfishing affecting the school shark and the tope shark, two critically endangered local species.
Decisions aimed at halting an ecological collapse
Sharks, rays, and chimeras constitute the most pressured group of marine vertebrates on the planet. Their slow growth, late maturity, and low fecundity make them unable to recover from intensive fishing.
Worldwide, more than 37% of these species are endangered, and some populations have declined by more than 70% in just five decades. The expansion of the trade in meat, oil, gills, and fins has deepened this trend.
CoP20 addressed these issues through an unprecedented package of measures that includes bans, strict regulations, and export suspensions for particularly vulnerable species.
Approved protections to curb exploitation
The decisions incorporated more than 70 species of sharks and rays into the CITES Appendices. Among the measures adopted are three differentiated levels of protection.
A total ban on international trade was established for oceanic species such as the manta ray and the whale shark. This category implies the maximum restriction existing within the agreement.
Zero export quotas were also set for giant guitarfish, preventing their legal export from their countries of origin. Additionally, other species were included in Appendix II, requiring permits and assessments to ensure that extraction does not worsen their situation.
These decisions aim to close regulatory gaps that have fueled the global market for shark and ray parts for years. It is hoped that this will provide relief to populations currently on the brink of collapse.
Scientific support to strengthen protection
The evidence presented by scientific teams was key to supporting each of the proposals. In the case of the Argentine Sea, WCS Argentina provided data on the critical status of the tope shark and the school shark.
These species, highly vulnerable due to their biological characteristics, show alarming population declines. International trade, combined with unsustainable fishing practices, has deepened the crisis.
Inclusion in CITES will allow for the establishment of specific controls, traceability, and quotas to prevent excessive extraction. It also opens the door to coordinated regional policies in the Southwestern Atlantic.
A complex outlook for the Argentine Sea
In national waters, there are 105 species of chondrichthyans, of which 55 are sharks. Many migrate seasonally between Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil.
Among the most threatened are the tope shark and the school shark. Both species have suffered drastic declines in recent decades, driven by commercial and recreational fishing.
The approval of new international regulations represents an opportunity to halt this deterioration. Cooperation between countries and strengthening enforcement will be essential steps.
Tope shark: a retreating endemic species
The tope shark, found exclusively in the Southwestern Atlantic, has experienced a population decline of over 90% in forty years. Its low fecundity and late maturity place it in the “Critically Endangered” category.
Commercial catches have consistently affected it. According to scientific reports, its stock has been overexploited since 2024 and faces an extreme risk of local extinction.
With the new CITES resolution, it is expected that controls on international trade will help reduce fishing pressure on the species.
School shark: a species in rapid decline
The school shark inhabits the waters of Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, reaching sexual maturity only at ten years old. Throughout its life, it can reproduce very few times, worsening its situation.
In three decades, its population has fallen by 80% in the Southwestern Atlantic. The demand for fins and meat has driven its intensive capture, hindering its recovery.
Inclusion in Appendix II of CITES requires permits and assessments aimed at ensuring that any extraction does not further harm its survival in the region.
Conservation status and its ecological importance
Sharks and rays are essential for ocean health. They control populations, maintain the balance between species, and regulate food chains.
The disappearance of these animals disrupts key ecological functions, promotes uncontrolled growth of other species, and weakens entire ecosystems, including reefs and continental shelves.
Strengthening their international protection not only aims to prevent extinctions but also to sustain the stability of the seas and ensure healthy resources for coastal communities.
