IN THIS ISSUE

Sharks Remain An Issue At CITES 

In 2002, CITES (the Convention In Trade of Endangered Species) included the whale shark and basking shark on Appendix II, which requires that trade be monitored and recorded.

Since then the status of other 'non-listed' shark species has been reviewed and the IUCN Species Survival Commission's  Shark Specialist Group made strong representation to the recent CITES meeting in Bangkok that the signatory countries assist them  in their ongoing work.

As a result the Great White shark was also listed in Appendix II. The meeting also noted that " National measures alone cannot deliver sustainable management of stocks that move between range states and the high seas. CITES can play an important role in achieving international and regional cooperation.." 

More details of Marine issues covered at CITES and at the IUCN World Congress can be found at the IUCN Marine web site.

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Good News From Djibouti!! Whale Shark Monitoring Programme Launched

One of Djibouti's first tagged whale sharks .  Photo courtesy of Michel Vely, MCSD / Megaptera

Just as we were about to send out the last newsletter for this year we received tremendous news from Michel Vely who is based in Djibouti; besides monitoring Humpback Whales for the Megaptera Society, Michel has also started a whale shark monitoring programme. Under the banner of the Marine Conservation Society, Djibouti and working with a local eco-tourism company, Dolphin Tours, the first whale shark tagging expedition has just been accomplished.

During the cruise the team comprising Michel, Dolphin Cruises staff and local volunteers managed to tag 12 whale sharks with "Aquasign Soft Tags" developed in the MCSS Seychelles programme and provided by Champion Technologies as sponsorship for this important programme.

Whale sharks are apparently often seen during the winter months off Djibouti in the Gulf of Tadjourah especially off Arta beach which is a popular beach for visitors. The start of a formal monitoring and tagging programme will provide information on the whale shark population in the North Eastern Indian Ocean, an area that up to this time has been largely un-studied. As such this will certainly help in developing a wider understanding of the range and migrations of the sharks in the Indian Ocean....

We will provide a full report on the Djibouti programme as we get more information.