Opinion | Given new powers for shark protection, Hong Kong must step up its regulation of the fin trade
- The addition of more shark species under CITES protection has closed an enforcement loophole, making it easier to protect the species most at risk
- Hong Kong must allocate more resources for enforcement, improve its skill in species identification and brace for an increase in the illegal trade
Irrespective of the local debate, there has been increasing recognition globally that sharks are in trouble and, if they are, so is the marine ecosystem on which we depend.
The international shark fin trade is regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which determines which species are to be “listed” to prevent overexploitation. For wildlife listed under Appendix I, the trade of wild-caught specimens is mostly prohibited. Appendix II listings allow for the trade of wild and farmed wildlife, but only in compliance with set quotas and permits.
There are about 1,200 species of sharks, rays and chimeras, of which about 390 are known to be at risk of extinction. Since 2003, more than 40 species in the global fin and meat trade have been listed. The vast majority of traded species are not regulated – until last week, when CITES made the groundbreaking decision to list – by our counting – an additional 97 shark and ray species in Appendix II.
These listings are significant; they recognise that many “lookalike” shark species need to be regulated along with the species most at risk from the trade. Without listing the lookalikes, enforcement would simply not be possible.
Compared to the number of known threatened shark species, 97 may not seem many. However, these new listings include the most heavily traded species for their fins. Based on up-to-date research on the composition of Hong Kong’s shark fin trade, it’s estimated that 90 per cent of the trade will now be regulated.