Voters on shark conservation facing 'undue pressure’
Cites meeting votes to protect Oceanic whitetip shark
(about 9 hours later)
By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent, BBC News
By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent, BBC News
Delegates at a conservation meeting in Thailand are expected to vote on proposals to extend protection to three vulnerable species of sharks.
Delegates at the Cites conservation meeting in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, have voted to extend the protection to a threatened species of shark.
But campaigners say undue "pressuring" of developing countries could swing Monday's vote against the ban.
The Oceanic whitetip has seen its numbers decline dramatically in recent years because of overfishing for fins.
China and Japan are said to be using their trade connections to unfairly influence the outcome.
Campaigners said the move to record and regulate all trade in the species was historic, and that they believed two other sharks would also be protected.
Japan denies exercising any unfair pressure, saying every delegation should vote based on their own beliefs.
However, the decisions could still be overturned on appeal at the meeting.
An estimated 100 million sharks are killed by commercial fishing every year, researchers have recently >reported.
An estimated 100 million sharks are killed by commercial fishing every year, researchers have >recently reported. They blame a huge appetite for shark-fin soup in China and Hong Kong for stimulating the trade.
They blame a huge appetite for shark-fin soup in China and Hong Kong for stimulating the trade.
The conservation meeting will also decide whether to regulate trade in two types of manta ray hunted for their gill plates, which are used in some Chinese traditional medicines.
These include the Oceanic whitetip, several species of Hammerheads and the Porbeagle shark as well as two types of manta ray which are hunted for their gill plates. These are used in some Chinese traditional medicines.
Momentum building
Blocking tactics
After a tense debate, delegates voted by 92 votes to 42 to upgrade the Oceanic whitetip to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).
The amendments would not ban the fishing of these species, but would ensure that catches are regulated - meaning that importers and exporters would require permits.
But with support closely divided between those in favour of extending protection and those who want to keep the status quo, some campaigners claim that unfair and underhanded tactics are being used to block the proposal.
Campaigners were delighted with the outcome of the vote, but cautioned that it could still be overturned before the end of the meeting.
"There's been a lot of shenanigans and pressuring of developing countries," Dr Susan Lieberman, director of international policy at the Pew Oceanic trust told BBC News at the meeting.
Dr Susan Liebermann from Pew Environment Group said it was a big day for the convention.
"It is going to be very close," Dr Lieberman added.
"It is a great victory for conservation, but it is a great victory for Cites as well. It is 40 years old, it is a real coming of age," she told the BBC.
Dr Lieberman said she believed that China and Japan were responsible for placing undue pressure on nations that do not have any great interest in the shark trade, especially countries in Africa and the Middle East.
Many attendees say the move is highly significant because it is the first time that Cites delegates have voted to protect a commercially valuable species of shark.
She says they are concerned that a successful shark vote could set a precedent for regulating other fish species.
"It does set a tone that countries are finally ready to accept that we need Cites listings for commercially valuable, highly-traded highly-threatened shark species," said Sonja Fordham from Shark Advocates International.
"Japan is not a big player in the shark trade but it is a philosophical issue. They don't want Cites to deal with fisheries. They just want it off the table. For China, they just don't want to implement this. "
Even though the vote was 92 to 42 in favour, it barely reached the two thirds majority needed to become part of Cites regulations. Two other species of threatened shark will be voted on later on Monday.
One delegate who wished to remain anonymous told BBC News that pressure from China and Japan was the "usual procedure" at these meetings.
"The momentum is building," Dr Liebermann said. "I'm optimistic that the Hammerheads will go through as well."
The BBC has seen an anonymous leaflet designed to remind delegates that regulating the trade in small number of threatened shark species would be damaging.
China and Japan strongly oppose the moves to upgrade the three shark species, and there had been much talk about undue pressure being brought to bear on developing countries.
"The livelihoods of fishermen would decline," it says. "No conservation benefits would accrue."
Many believe their underlying concern is about Cites having power over commercial fishing.
It is expected that a secret ballot will be called on the shark proposal, according to Dr Colman O'Criodain, who is attending this meeting on behalf of WWF international.
But in the end it was European Union money that might have played a crucial role with the Oceanic whitetip vote.
Arm twisting
The head of the EU's delegation told the meeting that extra cash would be made available to help poorer countries change their fishing practices.
He also feels that China and Japan are bringing undue pressure on developing countries in particular.
"If there's a need for it the funding will be available," Feargal O'Coigligh said.
"They certainly seem to be twisting arms from the feedback we are getting. They're saying people have approached them," he said.
Whatever the outcomes of the other votes, all of them can be overturned in the final, plenary session of this meeting. However, re-opening a proposal requires support from a third of member states.
WWF do not have any hard evidence that inducements are being offered.
But they point to the fact that many of the undecided countries in this vote do have strong trading relationships with China and Japan, and Dr O'Criodain believes this allows a more subtle form of pressure to be applied.
"They don't necessarily have to explicitly be warned that these trade relationships are at risk to feel vulnerable, simply for China to approach them is already a certain measure of pressure that other countries simply wouldn't feel to the same extent."
"From everything we are hearing those approaches are going on," he added.
Japan strongly denies doing anything underhanded or unfair.
The head of their delegation, Kenji Kagawa, told BBC News that his country is actually a supporter of shark conservation in the right environment.
"We have been explaining our position on the listing proposals of shark species to all parties and asking for their support. We understand that the proponents of these measures are doing the same thing."
"Japan strongly believes that each Cites member should make a decision based on its own beliefs," he added.
At present only a handful of sharks are offered some level of protection under Cites. These are the whale shark, basking shark, great white shark, and seven sawfishes.
At present only a handful of sharks are offered some level of protection under Cites. These are the whale shark, basking shark, great white shark, and seven sawfishes.
