Notification to the Parties

CONCERNING:

Biological and trade status of sharks

1. In Notification to the Parties No. 2003/051 of 15 August 2003, the Secretariat invited Parties to obtain from their national fisheries departments, information on the implementation of the International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (IPOA-Sharks) and on the establishment of National Plans of Action for conservation and management of shark stocks (Shark Plans). The Secretariat also invited the Parties to report such information to the Secretariat by 30 September 2003. The Secretariat is grateful to the Parties that submitted information before the deadline.

2. The Animals Committee discussed the biological and trade status of sharks at its 19th meeting (Geneva, August 2003; see documents AC19 Doc. 18.1, Doc. 18.2 and Doc. 18.3, and AC19 WG12 Doc. 1).

3. To assist Parties that have not yet provided the information referred to in paragraph 1 above, the Animals Committee developed a questionnaire which is provided in the Annex to this Notification. The Management Authorities of these Parties are encouraged to bring this Notification to the attention of relevant national bodies, to complete the questionnaire in the Annex and to submit the information to the Secretariat by 15 December 2003.

4. The information shall be made available to the Animals Committee in the context of the implementation of Resolution Conf. 12.6 on the conservation and management of sharks.

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Annex

Questionnaire on progress with implementation of the FAO IPOA-Sharks

Name of respondent State:

Key contact person and agency for further enquiries on Shark Assessment Report and Shark Plan

Name:
Agency:
Address:
Telephone:
Fax:
Email:

 

					Yes	No
1.	Information on fisheries
	1.1	Are sharks landed in your State?
		a)	From target fisheries?
		b)	From bycatch fisheries?
	1.2	Does your State specifically regulate shark fisheries?
		If yes, please provide details of relevant regulations:
2.	Information on trade
	2.1	Are shark products exported from your State?
	2.2	Are shark products imported into from your State?
	2.3	Does your State have Customs tariff headings for these products?
		If you have Customs codes, what are these?
3.	Information on data collection
	3.1	Data collected on catches
		a)	Including discards
		b)	Excluding discards
	3.2	Are data collected on landings?
	3.3	Is fishery-independent research underway (e.g. biology, ecology, distribution, abundance)?
	3.4	Are fleet data collected (e.g. vessels, fishers, gear used, areas fished)?
	3.5	Are catch and effort data collected?
	3.6	Is habitat research or data collection underway?
4.	Shark fisheries assessment report (SAR)
	4.1	Has your State produced a SAR ( required under the FAO IPOA-Sharks)?
		If you have produced a SAR, please provide title, date of release, where available and provide copy to Secretariat for review by Animals Committee (as required under Resolution Conf. 12.6):
	4.2	If no, please clarify why not:
	4.3	Is your State planning to produce a SAR?
	4.4	If yes, what stage has this reached?
		a)	Action still needs to be initiated
		b)	Initial discussions undertaken, but draft not yet available
			Please indicate month/year when draft will become available, and/or provide brief explanatory comments:
		c)	Draft produced
			Please provide information (e.g. title, date, review due month/year).
		d)	Is a public/industry consultation on draft underway?
		e)	Is a workshop planned to discuss preparation?
			Please provide dates (month, year) when workshop(s) or other activities will take place:
		f)	Draft SAR finalized, but awaiting Government adoption
			Please provide the date (month, year) when SAR is expected to be formally adopted:
5.	National Plan of Action for Sharks (Shark Plan)
	5.1	Has your State produced an Shark Plan (required under the FAO IPOA-Sharks)?
		If you have produced an Shark Plan, please provide title, date of release, where available and provide copy to Secretariat for review by Animals Committee (as required under Resolution Conf. 12.6):
	5.2	Has the Shark Plan been implemented?
		If not implemented, on what date is implementation expected?
	5.3	If no Shark Plan has been produced, please clarify:
		a)	Is your State planning to produce an Shark Plan?
		b)	If yes, what stage has this reached?
			i)	Action still needs to be initiated
			ii)	Initial discussions undertaken, but draft not yet available
				Please indicate month/year when draft will become available, and/or provide brief explanatory comments:
		c)	Draft produced?
			Please provide information (e.g. title; date; review due month/year):
		d)	Is a public/industry consultation on draft underway?
		e)	Is a workshop planned to discuss preparation?
			Please provide dates (month, year) when workshop(s) or other activities will take place:
		f)	Draft Shark Plan finalized, but awaiting Government adoption
			Please provide the date (month, year) when Shark Plan is expected to be formally adopted:
6.	Other species-level conservation and management activity
	6.1	Are key commercial species known and/or managed?
		If yes, please provide details:
	6.2	Are key species of conservation concern known and/or managed?
		If yes, please provide details:
	6.3	Are CITES-listed shark species managed or monitored?
		If yes, please provide details:
7.	Other information/comments