This week it was officially decided to protect eight shark species under the international Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol following a proposal by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs in cooperation with a team of shark experts. The Ministry of Economic Affairs proposed a shortlist of eight shark species for listing on the protocol. This included three species of Hammerhead shark, the Whale shark, the Oceanic Whitetip shark, the sawfish (of which few people know it is a shark), and two manta ray species. All of these species are Caribbean natives and threatened by human interference.
For the proposals. the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs was working closely with the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance and in consultation with the Dutch Elasmobranch Association (DES). These fact sheets with information about the proposed action were produced to support the final decision making process.
