It has been agreed to include 22 additional shark and ray species in the Memorandum of Understanding on the Convention of Migratory Sharks (Sharks MoU).
The decision came at the second Meeting of the Signatories of the Sharks MoU, held from 15 to 19 February in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Signatories agreed to include five sawfish species, two species of manta rays and nine mobula ray species in the Sharks MoU. As well as silky sharks, two species of hammerhead sharks and three thresher shark species in Annex 1 of the MoU.
This will hope to strengthen cooperation and improve the overall status of these species.
The meeting also succeeded in agreeing the budget of the Sharks MoU for the next three years.
As well as this a Rules Procedure was also adopted but some issues are still to be clarified at a later date.
Signatories also accepted seven new cooperating partners into the agreement, with Portugal becoming the 40th Signatory.
The Sharks MoU is the first intergovernmental treaty dealing specifically with shark conservation at a global level. It entered into force in March 2010. The European Union became a Signatory in 2011.
