Which species are actually protected?

The convoluted system of endangered species lists and international protection makes it difficult to know which species of sharks are protected. Much depends on the jurisdiction they swim through and the categories they fall under. There is some overlap, and there are many gaps. The public remains confused about listings and designations.

The short version is that being listed as an endangered or threatened species doesn’t mean they are protected, and being a designated CITES species can mean a variety of things, depending on categories and how a country evaluates their “non-detrimental” trade of a species. Dive deeper in the section below: