The Mako Shark, a CITES Story

My name is what? My name is who? My name is chicka-chicka...the Mako Shark. Not what you were expecting, right?! Well you heard it here first, the Mako shark is now a part of CITES. Step 1, if you aren’t familiar with CITES and please go check out our short overview of it in the following 3 blogs. So, now that you have that background we can dive deeper into the importance of the Mako Shark and their CITES listing. 

Mako sharks are usually called the cheetahs of the ocean because of their ability to move so quickly through the water. They are mainly found in the high seas and therefore not under the protection of just one country or area. They are often targeted for their fins and used for shark fin soup, and due to the lack of international protection it has been a “catch all you can” of Mako shark. Both species (Longfin and Shortfin) were listed on the ICUN Red list as Endangered globally. The Shortfin Mako was listed as Critically Endangered in the Mediterranean, citing a 50-80% population decline over the last 75 years. This listing caused many people to pay attention and call for strict international regulation to save and protect these sharks. 

A proposal was brought to the 2019  global wildlife trade meeting to strengthen the protections for both Shortfin and Longfin Mako sharks. The proposal was voted on 102-40 and the Mako shark is now officially listed under Appendix II of CITES. This means that Mako shark can not be traded unless it can be shown that fishing would not threaten their survival. Many scientists say this was the last chance and the only option in order to protect Mako sharks. More than 50 of the 183 members of CITES signed the proposal, which was a record breaking number of backers at any of these meetings since CITES was enacted in 1973.

So here is where protection of species gets sticky. If Mako sharks (both Longfin and Shortfin) are now considered “protected” in international trade via CITES Parties, then shouldn’t the United States (NOAA) jump to protect Makos as well? In 2018, NOAA introduced Amendment 11 in attempts to conserve only Shortfin Mako sharks. This amendment does not put full protections in place for Atlantic Shortfin Makos, it simply upped the size catch limit from 54 inches to 83 inches for recreational fishermen. For commercial fishermen, NOAA now allows, “retention of a Shortfin Mako shark by persons with a Directed or Incidental Shark Limited Access Permit, but only if the shark is dead at haul back and there is a functional electronic monitoring system on board the vessel.” There is also no additional monitoring for this species. Essentially, NOAA has made the determination that protecting the Shortfin Mako shark in United States Atlantic waters means catching individuals over a certain size. NOAA also contradicts themselves on the Shortfin Mako shark species page of their website, citing that Shortfin Makos are “a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations,” while at the same time stating that they are, “significantly below target population levels. An international rebuilding plan is being developed for the stock.” Pacific Shortfin Mako sharks are not considered in danger by NOAA, and Longfin Mako sharks are nowhere to be found on their site, despite their “Endangered” status with the IUCN Red List.