OSPAR (the Oslo-Paris Convention) provides a mechanism for international cooperation to protect the Northeast Atlantic marine environment and pursue the measures needed to end overfishing of regionally threatened species.

"The Northeast Atlantic is home to some of the world's most endangered sharks. We appreciate that OSPAR has acknowledged this dire situation and is eager to see it addressed," said Sonja Fordham, Policy Director for the Shark Alliance. "Listing by OSPAR will help greatly to highlight the plight of these sharks and can serve as a springboard for international cooperation on a wide range of urgently needed conservation actions."

The OSPAR Commission is made up of government representatives of 15 Contracting Parties and the European Commission. Germany made the proposals that led to listing of the following Northeast Atlantic species, several of which were also proposed by the World Wildlife Fund:

* porbeagle shark - a large, swift cousin of the white shark with high value meat

* spurdog – a small, schooling shark used in fish & chips and beer garden snacks

* gulper shark – a dark, deepsea shark valued for liver oil used in cosmetics, etc.

* leafscale gulper shark- another exceptionally slow growing deepsea shark

* Portuguese dogfish – perhaps the deepest dwelling shark, reported at 3700 meters

* angel shark – a flattened, bottom-dwelling shark taken for food and as bycatch

Spurdog, porbeagle, gulper and angel sharks are classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Critically Endangered in the Northeast Atlantic. Leafscale gulper sharks and Portuguese dogfish in this region are categorized as Endangered.

The European Union (EU) has established allowable catch limits and national quotas for Northeast Atlantic spurdog, porbeagle and deepwater sharks (primarily gulper sharks and Portuguese dogfish), but these limits are too high to allow for population recovery. In fact, scientists have advised that these severely depleted species should no longer be fished. There are no EU safeguards for angel sharks; the species was recently protected off the English coast. The European Commission issued its approach to 2009 catch limits this week and will propose actual limits later in the year. The Commission is also in the process of developing a long-awaited EU Plan of Action for the conservation of sharks.

"Many of the protective measures needed to reverse declines of these vulnerable sharks have already been identified and are within our reach," added Fordham. "We urge OSPAR member nations to use the new listing decisions to promote proposals for significant reductions in European shark quotas over the coming months and ensure a strong EU Plan of Action for Sharks by the end of the year."

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

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