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Shark News - Issue 5 | April 2022
Content:
- 4 Editorial: A note from the Chair
- 6 Q&A with Michelle Heupel: Making waves in a sea of data
- 9 Sharks and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)
- 18 Shark Spotlight: Mumburarr Whipray
- 20 Update from the 24th EEA Conference in Leiden, The Netherlands
- 22 Sharks International 2022: A Mediterranean shark fiesta you do not want to miss!
- 23 Prioritising conservation efforts for the Critically Endangered Angel Sharks in the North-eastern Mediterranean Sea
- 25 The worldwide distribution of the Bull Shark and an account of its occurrence in low salinity habitats
- 29 Uncovering the global shark meat trade
- 35 Creating the Next Generation of Shark Advocates
- 43 Safe Space for Sharks: Important Shark & Ray Areas (ISRAs)
- 54 A refuge amidst peril: Giant Guitarfish in the Andaman Islands, India
- 57 Angling for Shark Science: Anglers & Scientists, Together as Equals
- 59 Unmanaged Trade Jeopardizes Freshwater Stingrays Management and Conservation
- 61 Conscientizing preschool kids on how to know, respect and protect sharks and their relatives in extreme Southern Brazil
- 66 Assess Working Group Update: Upcoming IUCN Red List assessments
- 67 New Tools to Curtail the Illegal Shark Trade
- 73 Supply and demand: the EU’s role in the global shark trade
- 78 Upcoming Meetings
- 79 Funding Opportunities
- 81 Our Sponsors
Summary
First, a team from Dalhousie University introduces us to a global project being undertaken to uncover the trade in shark meat. We share the news of the publication of a three-volume guide series on CITES-listed species that Debra Abercrombie and Rima Jabado worked on over the last few years to support the implementation of trade controls and which will allow the identification of whole sharks, trunks, and dried products (fins, rostra, and gill plates). We have a note to emphasize the detrimental impact of trade on South American Freshwater Stingrays and highlight how CITES can ensure this trade can be regulated. And we have results from a new study showcasing trade data which indicates that European Union Member States provide almost a third of shark-related fin imports into Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan.
Our feature story is about Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA), a project we have recently embarked on that I am convinced will make a difference for shark conservation. The importance of delineating such critical habitat for sharks and their contribution to species conservation is highlighted in a story on Angel Sharks in the Mediterranean and echoes the feedback we have received about this initiative.
Other stories show how consolidating available data can further our knowledge of species distribution of Bull Sharks and how engaging with recreational anglers, although an activity that might seem controversial for many, can be a valuable source of data and contribute to supporting fisheries management decisions.
We highlight more work by dedicated and inspiring educators working hard in The Bahamas and Brazil to ensure the next generation cares about the marine environment and can become advocates for sharks.
