The Maldives proposal to list the silky shark under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species was adopted at the 17th CITES COP 17 held in Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday.
The proposal received backing from 111 member countries including the 28-member European Union.
Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim described the passing of the proposal as a huge achievement for the Maldives, adding that country’s efforts to protect endangered marine species were being acknowledged the world over. 47 countries have agreed to provide financial and technical support to conserve silky sharks that are associated with tuna schools, he said.
The Minister added that “the benefits of protecting marine life can be seen in the fisheries and tourism industry, and assured that the country will continue its support to protect marine life.”