104 shark and ray species now receive new protections, but are they enough?

Shark and stingray populations have declined by 71 per cent in the last half-century (Hannes Klostermann / Ocean Image Bank)

Shark populations have been declining for years, largely due to overfishing. And for years, the solutions offered by researchers have included increasing the number, size and effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPA) and improving the global management of sharks and stingrays in fisheries that catch them.

However, the large expanse of the ocean makes it hard to properly enforce protections in these MPAs, making this a global challenge. A solution to this issue lies in the use of international treaties like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), wherein 184 member countries propose ways to ensure that species are not threatened due to international trade.