National Plan of Action for the conservation and management of sharks (NPOA-Sharks).

This National Plan of Action, intended to have an initial implementation period of four years (2012-2015), moves from the consideration that the sustainable management of the rich variety of marine resources living in South Africa’s Exclusive Economic Zone remains a firm commitment of the South African Government and that South Africa invested significantly in the area of shark research and capacity development including the establishment of a dedicated shark research section, the formation of a Large Pelagic and Sharks Scientific Working Group and the commencement of research efforts dedicated to investigating the biology, ecology and stock status of commercially harvested shark species. South Africa has one of the most diverse shark faunas in the world and many species are caught in appreciable quantities in directed and non-directed shark fisheries.
This National Plan of Action provides information on the status of the species, identifies groups and prioritise issues particular to the South African chondrichthyan resources (cartilaginous fishes) that require intervention in the form of specific actions, improves efforts for controlling foreign vessels discharging shark products in South Africa's ports, recognises the need to determine and implement harvesting strategies consistent with the principles of biological sustainability, formalises and streamlines ongoing efforts to improve conservation and management of sharks caught in South African waters, to vulnerable or threatened shark stocks, minimise by-catch capture of sharks and contribute to the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function, and demonstrates the Government’s dedication to ensure long-term sustainable utilisation of the marine living resources for the benefit of all. As the lack of shark-specific funding has been identified as one of the issues, this National Plan should facilitate the application for additional funding from international agencies.The National Plan defines the following relevant terms: biodiversity; biomass; by-catch; collapse, as reduction of a stock abundance; conservation of natural resources; demersal fish; directed fishery; ecotourism; finning; habitat; highly migratory species; longline; migratory species; non-consumptive use; pelagic sharks; precautionary approach; sharks; sustainable use.