National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks.

National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks is a national plan with a sectoral approach. The main objectives of the Plan are to: a) improve the conservation and management of sharks; and b) ensure sharks’ long-term sustainable use.
The Plan sets forth that conservation measures and standards will be developed to regulate shark fisheries. Specific areas that are critical to the life cycle and survival of shark species will be determined and specially managed. Shark populations in danger of extinction or near critical sustainability thresholds will be recovered. Regulations on shark landings will be done and provisions prohibiting shark finning will be revised. Shark by-catch and juvenile/ neonate sharks in fishing operations will be reduced. Management and conservation strategies will be implemented to keep total fishing mortality for each stock within sustainable levels by applying the precautionary approach for the sustainability of stocks. The Plan further states that it is important to ensure, shark catches from directed and non-directed fisheries are sustainable and special attention will be given to vulnerable or threatened shark stocks. The actions determined by this Plan will be implemented considering protection of biodiversity and ecosystem structure as a whole.
The Plan also sets forth that the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture will work in collaboration with all public and private relevant stakeholders. Shark research programs will be developed under the ecosystem approach to fisheries to be the foundation upon which the Fisheries Division will obtain good data and information for decision making on shark management. Easy access to information on shark fisheries by fishery scientists will be provided by all related institutions. A shark monitoring and control system will be developed through an export certification scheme with identification of the species. The plan also sets out that a database will be established to collect data on fishing and export of sharks. Further consultation with appropriate stakeholders will be done to promote and develop the shark ecotourism industry. Training programs will be held on management of sharks in compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Awareness raising regarding the importance of fisheries management and sustainable use of shark resources will be enhanced. Knowledge and understanding of specific areas will also be enhanced. Initiatives and specific sectorial projects will be developed and other national initiatives regarding the conservation and management of sharks will be supported through inter-sectorial coordination and collaboration.
The Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs is the responsible institution for the implementation of this Plan. The Plan lastly ensures that the implementation of the NPOA for shark conservation is consistent with the obligations and commitments adopted in international agreements and treaties relevant to the topic e.g., the Convention on the Biological Diversity(CBD), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) as well as with the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (CCCFP).