Regional Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks, Rays and Chimaeras in the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission Area
At the 17th Session of the Commission held in 2019, the Recommendation WECAFC/XVII/2019/5+6+7 “on the conservation and management of sharks and rays in the WECAFC area” was adopted. This non-binding recommendation aims at promoting the conservation and management of sharks in the area of competence of WECAFC. Among other recommendations, the Commission recommended that WECAFC members develop NPOAs consistent with the International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (IPOA-sharks). The Regional Plan of Action is an important link between the implementation of the IPOA-Sharks and the formulation of National Plans of Action. Its overall objective is to ensure the conservation and management of sharks and their long-term sustainable use in the WECAFC area. The purpose of the RPOA is to encourage sustainability of shark fisheries in the region, to ensure the long-term provision of the economic, social and environmental benefits that productive and sustainable shark resources provide people [coastal communities] and the environment.
The RPOA-Sharks was prepared by a Task Force of WECAFC scientists supported by an international consultant specialist in marine megafauna, and reviewed by WECAFC members at the 18th Session in 2022, then endorsed.