§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of shark(a) fishing and (b) finning on the world's population of sharks. [122658]
§ Mr. BradshawCurrent scientific knowledge indicates that many of the world's populations of sharks are under threat from fishing activities. The targeting of sharks for their fins alone adds to this threat. In view of concern over this threat to shark populations, this Department has been working to protect sharks at a national and international level. In addition to putting in place measures to protect the basking shark under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, we have secured strengthened protection for this species at an international level under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) produced in 1999 an International Plan of Action for the conservation and management of sharks, to which the European Commission signed up on behalf of the European Union. We have been pressing the Commission for action to follow this up and are pleased that work will begin shortly on the development and implementation of a Community Plan of Action.
Discussions on a Commission regulation to restrict the practice of shark finning have recently concluded. While it was not possible to achieve the complete ban on this practice that we would have preferred, we were able to secure some important concessions, including additional control clauses and a commitment to a complete review of the regulation in the light of the development of the Community Plan of Action.