Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency says that people exporting products made from shortfin mako shark will need a permit issued by CITES.
CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The treaty, which governs the international wildlife trade, is also known as the “Washington Convention”.
At the CITES Conference of the Parties held in Geneva in mid-August, mako sharks were listed under Appendix II. That means the species cannot be traded unless it can be shown that fishing will not threaten their chance of survival. The ban came into effect on November 26; it aims to protect mako shark populations.
Shortfin mako sharks are the second largest shark species caught by Taiwanese fishermen, after blue sharks.