Press Release: Fisheries: Commission moves to protect sharks

On 5 February, 2009, the European Commission adopted the first ever EU Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks. The aim of the plan is to ensure that effective steps are taken to help rebuild shark stocks wherever they are under threat, if necessary on a precautionary basis, and to set down guidelines for the sustainable management of the fisheries concerned, including those where shark are taken as by-catch. The plan also included measures to improve scientific knowledge of shark stocks and shark fisheries. The measures set out cover not only sharks, but also related species, such as skates and rays, and will apply wherever the EU fleet operates, both within and outside European waters. The Commission is committed to working to ensure that the EU's action in international bodies and agreements is coherent with its policy on sharks at home.

European Commission: MEMO/09/52: Questions and answers – shark action plan http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/52&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Commission: SPEECH/09/38: EU Action plan on Sharks http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/09/38&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

United Kingdom: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: News Release: No.91/09 (23.4.09): European plan to protect sharks welcomed http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2009/090423a.htm

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