2024/011: Important Shark and Ray Areas

This Notification relates to CMS Decisions 14.61 and 14.64 Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs).

1. In accordance with Decision 14.64 a) and c) the Secretariat shall “continue to liaise with the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group to promote the value of ISRAs for the conservation of CMS-listed sharks and rays” and “inform the Scientific Council, the Parties and other relevant bodies of newly identified ISRAs”.

2. To this end, the Scientific Council and Parties are invited to note that the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group has published the results of its most recent expert assessment of ISRA in the Asia region in the global eAtlas on Important Shark and Ray Areas. The eAtlas is available online at: https://sharkrayareas.org/e-atlas/.

3. This assessment delineated 122 ISRAs, four candidate ISRAs, and 45 Areas of Interest across the region. A comprehensive compendium of these areas can be downloaded at: https://sharkrayareas.org/download/asia-regional-compendium-of-important-shark-and-ray-areas/

4. Additionally, results of earlier assessments for the Western Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean and Black Seas, and the Central and South American Pacific regions are also included in the eAtlas. All workshop reports can be accessed at: Workshop Reports - Important Shark Ray Areas

5. In accordance with Decision 14.61 b) Parties are requested to “take into account identified ISRAs for spatial planning and conservation action with a view to implementing Targets 1 and 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework, including through National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs)”.  Please note, that All NBSAPs need to be submitted to the Convention on Biological Diversity before October 2024.

For further information please consult: [email protected]