WWF opfordrer til at konference om truede dyrearter udnytter muligheden for at gøre noget for rokker og hajer, som er særligt sårbare for overfiskning. Deres udslettelse vil have vidtrækkende konsekvenser for havenes økosystemer.
BANGKOK, 6 March 2013 (WWF): Forty years ago the international community decided to combat the critical issue of trading endangered species globally.
In Washington the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) was born with the objective to protect wild plants and animals from the risk of extinction.
Øget fare for udryddelse
The increased level of threat facing many of our marine species due to unsustainable fishing is being discussed here in Bangkok during the 16th Conference of the Parties of CITES.
It is a chance for the 178 countries that are members of the convention to demonstrate that it can fulfill its core objective for five species of sharks, two species of manta ray and one species of sawfish.
Hajer og rocker I farezonen
Sharks and rays are grouped together because of their anatomical similarity having skeletons of cartilage rather than bone.
They are especially vulnerable to overfishing. Compared to most fish species, they take a long time to reach an age where they can reproductive and have relatively few offspring in their lifetimes.
Some species such as hammerhead sharks and manta rays aggregate in large numbers at certain times of the year making themselves even more vulnerable to being fished.
Because of their role as apex predators, they are the tigers of the sea, their extinction from the ocean would have profound and devastating ecological consequences.
Hajer og rocker indgår i luksusprodukter
The market for shark and ray products is first and foremost a luxury one. The fins, in the case of certain shark species, are used in shark fin soup. It`s a status symbol to include sharks fin as a standard menu item in Chinese celebratory banquets. Hammerhead shark fin is a particular favourite and has been recorded as costing as much as 135 US dollar pr. kg in Hong Kong.
Læs pressemeddelsen her: http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?207775/The-fight-to-save-threatened-sharks-and-rays
Læs videre fra: ” The gill plates, in the case of manta rays, are used in China…”
