Ali Hood Shark Trust: ‘Action Plan for Animal Welfare launched: opportunities for marine species. In a first of its kind, the Government published an action plan for animal welfare. Included in the plan were specific actions for elasmobranchs: ‘Defra signals intent to tighten domestic shark conservation legislation, building on existing fins-naturally-attached requirements by proposing a ban on the import & export of detached shark fins.

The Action Plan also lays out Defra’s pledges to undertake significant work to focus on marine biodiversity and conservation, such as championing conservation measures at the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), and through the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Lord Zac Goldsmith has recently spoken out in favour of high seas shark conservation at a Shark Trust/Shark League rally, supporting RFMO scientific advice for non-retention of Shortfin Mako Sharks in the North Atlantic, a measure consistent with the UK’s negative CITES Non Detriment Finding for mako in the Atlantic.