Shark Alliance calls for stronger finning ban

A shark conservation group has called on EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg to tighten rules on finning, which involves slicing off the shark fins and tossing the carcass at sea.

The EU is the leading worldwide supplier of fins, which are primarily sold to the Asian markets where they are served as a delicacy in shark fin soup. However, the EU's finning ban is considered to be among the weakest in the world.

According to Shark Alliance, species that dominate the Asian shark fin trade, such as thresher, hammerhead and blue sharks, are taken by Maltese fishermen. In 2008, scientists reported declines of 97-99 per cent for Mediterranean populations of such species.

"Ten years ago, Malta took bold action to protect the great white shark, the giant devil ray and the basking shark and it is high time to show such leadership again," said Sonja Fordham, Shark Alliance policy director. "We encourage Malta to champion protection for all the region's endangered and critically-endangered sharks and prompt implementation of the EU Shark Plan, starting with a stronger finning ban, before it's too late," Ms Fordham said.

The alliance said nearly 60 per cent of Malta's 35 species of sharks are considered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as threatened with extinction. The main shark targeted in Malta, the spiny dogfish, is classified as endangered in the Mediterranean. Maltese fishermen also took critically-endangered porbeagle and angular rough sharks, the alliance said.

Last February, the European Commission released a Plan of Action for Sharks, which sets the stage for sweeping improvements in EU shark policies, including the finning ban.

"It's up to the Commission to promptly deliver a legislative proposal to close loopholes in the finning ban and up to Commissioner Borg to provide the leadership needed for the Commission's follow through on this and other key commitments to shark conservation," Ms Fordham said.

The Shark Alliance said it appreciated the pledge to strengthen the EU finning ban that Dr Borg made when releasing the EU Shark Plan. "Since then, however, the Commission has been reluctant to commit to making the amendment of the ban a top priority, as urged by many EU member states, scores of NGOs and tens of thousands of European citizens," Ms Fordham said.

Global Ocean Policy Day was marked last week.