For years, international demand for shark fins and lack of management drove shark populations to the brink. But 2013 was a turning point for sharks, when governments around the world voted to regulate commercially traded sharks for the first time.
As of 2018, 20 species of commonly traded sharks and rays have been listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, which means trade in these species must be sustainable and traceable.
From Dominican Republic, to Senegal, to Sri Lanka and all over the world, governments are taking shark and ray CITES listings seriously and using the tools available to enforce CITES regulations at home. Governments are recognizing the importance of protecting these vulnerable species for future generations, but that more needs to be done.
Learn more about CITES shark listings implementation: http://www.pewtrusts.org/sharks