Thirteen new species of sharks have been identified as being under threat and needs to be protected.
The discovery was made known on Monday at the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wildlife and flora held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
According to NGOS for the protection of wildlife, 100 million of dogfish , a species of sharks are killed in the seas each year globally.
The numbers captured are two times higher than that which would maintain the numbers at its current level.
“There’s something huge, incredibly and significant that has happened. The convention here has decided, to adopt listings for the three species of thresher shark and the silky sharks. Species that has suffered huge decline worldwide due to unsustainable trade in their Finns and other products.” said Shark’s specialist Luke Warwick.
The growing demand, especially of their fins, skin and gills has made them, a target sought after by fishermen. According to the Worldwide Fund for Nature, their desire could be fatal.
Government had imposed a ban on the export of shark fins.
“10% of the finn trade was regulated in 2013 now with those listings around 20% of the shark finn trade will be regulated. This every 3 years is a huge leap forward and incredibly encouraging to see Cites play this key role,” Warwick added.
Countries have agreed to identify a proposal to add these new species of sharks and rays in its policy, which regulates strictly the trade of endangered species.
Eight types of shark species are already being protected.
Researchers were bar coding sharks and rays in the India ocean when they discovered these 13 new species of sharks.
