14 DAY TRIAL // Earlier today, the World Wildlife Fund has made it public news that several species of sharks and manta rays are from now on to receive better protection under CITES (i.e. the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
More precisely, all trading activities involving such marine animals are to be more strictly regulated, the goal being that of safeguarding their population against a rapid decline.
The same source informs us that three species of hammerheads, porbeagles, oceanic whitetips and two species of manta rays are to soon benefit from stronger protection.
“These timely decisions to have trade in sharks and manta rays regulated by CITES show that governments can muster the political will to keep our oceans healthy, securing food and other benefits for generations to come – and we hope to see similar action in the future to protect other commercially exploited and threatened marine species, both at the national and international level,” argued Dr. Carlos Drews, the head of WWF’s CITES delegation.