news reports, seizures, policy, development, conservation

Ninety days after the meeting at which they were adopted, the new and amended COP19 Decisions and Resolutions come into effect today. TRAFFIC calls for all involved in the implementation of the Convention to ensure that these commitments are translated into meaningful action on the ground. TRAFFIC also expresses concerns over the delay in implementing some species listings on the Appendices. read full story >

The latest update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM reveals as much as 44% of all abalone shellfish species are threatened with extinction. The primary threat to one of the newly assessed species, Haliotis midae, found in South Africa, is illegal fishing, mainly for international trade. TRAFFIC is actively supporting the South African Government to address this long-standing illicit trade in the country by assisting in the development of a National Strategy and Action Plan. read full story >

The 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP19) in Panama ended last week.   read full story >

In response to concerns over unsustainable and illegal catch and trade in East African nearshore fisheries, TRAFFIC has launched information boards to raise awareness of prohibited species among fishers and traders and aid compliance officers in identifying threatened marine species.  read full story >

Announced on Shark Awareness Day, the new protocol will combat the illegal shark fin trade Hong Kong – 14 July 2022 Today, WWF and TRAFFIC released a major new protocol that will regulate the trade of shark and ray products. The Compliance Protocol for Managing Stockpiles of CITES-listed Shark Fins in Hong Kong covers shark and ray products listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and provides a management framework for pre-CITES shark fin stockpiles. The protocol was announced on Shark Awareness Day when we are reminded that 37% of the world’s sharks and rays are threatened with extinction. read full story >

In celebration of World Oceans Day, take a deep dive into some of TRAFFIC’s marine work, from the ocean surface to the seabed. read full story >

Conscious that international trade in CITES-listed sharks and rays may be going undetected, TRAFFIC has submitted a report to CITES Standing Committee recommending improvements to information sharing processes needed to assess non-compliance with CITES requirements which undermine global efforts to reverse species declines. read full story >

Booming online trade in Malaysia and Singapore and high levels of international trafficking could endanger wild populations of sea cucumber and fish maw if regulators do not step up scrutiny and control.  read full story >

For global governments to combat the climate crisis with nature-based solutions, TRAFFIC reveals how examining HS Codes, used to monitor worldwide goods trade, can uncover illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade patterns that may have consequences on climate action and conservation efforts. Cracking the Code Platform read full story >

With the latest news that one-third of the world's shark and ray species are now threatened with extinction, today at the World Fisheries Congress in Australia TRAFFIC discusses SharkTrace: innovative apps to help tackle this population catastrophe. read full story >

TRAFFIC calls for serious and swift action by global governments to prevent further depletion of shark, ray and chimaera populations following the latest IUCN Red List assessment, which delivered the shattering news that one-third of these species are now threatened with extinction. read full story >

This Shark Awareness Day, TRAFFIC is releasing French and Chinese translations of shark fin identification pages for 12 key species found in trade. The pages also provide 3D shark fin scans to support frontline law enforcement officials combat the illegal trade that is accelerating shark population declines globally. read full story >