South African Shark Biodiversity Management Plan.

This South African Shark Biodiversity Management Plan moves from the consideration that most of the 185 species of sharks registered in the South African waters are regarded as threatened, near threatened, vulnerable, and critically endangered in terms of the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Therefore the purpose of this Management Plan is to achieve and maintain a favourable conservation status for resident and migratory sharks within South African waters, marine protected areas, and the Economic Exclusive Zone, and to increase the protection of the species in terms of international agreements, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). The Management Plan identifies threats increasing the decline of shark populations, such as: trophy hunting, marine debris, anthropogenic disturbances, habitat degradation, marine pollution. The Management Plan contains specific objectives and targeted actions to accomplish its goal, including: minimising bycatch of shark species; improving knowledge of shark diversity and distribution; implementing a functional long term monitoring plan.