The surprise ruling means restaurants must get permits for humphead wrasse
A sought-after delicacy and the most feared creature in the sea will come under better protection after a surprising victory for conservationists.
The humphead wrasse - a reef fish highly popular in Hong Kong restaurants - and the great white shark are among six species to have their protection levels upgraded at an international conference on the protection of endangered species in Bangkok.
They were added to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, along with freshwater turtles, the desert-living cistanche plant and agarwood-producing trees. This does not ban trade but requires permits for import or export and means nations have to keep proper records of the trade.
The 146 delegates to the meeting also placed the endangered yellow-crested cockatoo on Appendix I of the convention, banning all trade.
The proposal to restrict trade in the humphead wrasse and the great white shark, which is killed for its fins, had been expected to meet strong opposition from influential fishing nations.
But the resolution on the wrasse - defeated in 2002 - was passed unanimously and that on the great white was passed 87-24.