Humane Society International: 3rd October 2012 HSI Partners in UN Shark agreement

Humane Society International and its Australian affiliate, HSI Australia, have been formally recognised as partners in the United Nations’ first international agreement on shark conservation, allowing the global animal welfare organisation a key role in promoting shark protection and working on behalf of a new plan for increasing shark conservation.

“As a cooperating organisation to the agreement, Humane Society International can further expand its ongoing efforts to promote domestic, regional and international measures for the protection and conservation of migratory sharks,” said Alexia Wellbelove of HSI Australia. "Over the next six months, we ask all signatories to the agreement to pressure the European Parliament to endorse the European Commission's proposal for EU vessels to land all sharks with fins naturally attached without exception. We also ask for support of the European Union’s proposal to list the porbeagle shark on CITIES Appendix II to regulate international trade in this vulnerable species.”

HSI and HSI Australia were designated as cooperating partners at the meeting of the UN's first agreement on shark conservation, referred to as the Convention on Migratory Species Memorandum of Understanding on migratory sharks. The first meeting held last week in Bonn, Germany, took the important step of adopting a conservation plan for migratory sharks. HSI Australia and HSI were both active participants in drafting the conservation plan, which includes actions countries can take to protect sharks - beginning with banning international trade in shark products, such as fins