Share with me this sad story.

The shortfin #mako shark disappears from the N. Atlantic. If fishing would stop now, there would be 53% probability of recovering it by 2045. And the population decline would continue til 2035.

In 2019 it was included in Annex II @CITES Thread

Only #Spain makes 1/2 of the catches in N Atlantic.

Ecological Transition Ministry @mitecogob established for 2020 season a 350t trade quota (catches in 2019 were around 1,200t).

Fisheries Ministry @mapagob @LuisPlanas should take care to control catches and landings BUT...

Apparently didn’t do properly because according to own longliners representatives “tons & tons” of this protected species are being stored in #Vigo as they don’t get the certificate to trade it.

Fleet & Fisheries Ministry knew trade quota since February. https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/maritima/2020/09/12/quenlla-030-euros-poder-vender-marraxo-espaderos-hunden/0003_202009G12P28991.htm

Minister @Teresaribera must keep strong and not issue any certificate against her own rule.

Spain is one of the largest sharks catcher & trader on Earth. In case of mako, it also trades from Portugal, Morocco etc. Meat is traded within EU and fins exported to Asian markets.

In 2019 ICCAT scientists recommended a full ban of mako’s retention. Today, shark specialists from ES and PT sent a letter to Commissioner @VSinkevicius & Ministers @TeresaRibera, @LuisPlanas, @RSerraoSantos claiming further conservation efforts https://www.sciaena.org/pt/component/phocadownload/category/1-sciaena?download=42:mako-scientists-letter-es

In this letter, top researchers like @nunoqueiroz29 @gmucientes @ClaudioBarriaO @DivingPetrel ask managers to explore additional measures to mitigate bycatch like identify and avoid hotspots in order to reduce mortality and avoid shifting effort to other endangered shark species.

NGOs like @SharkTrustUK @PewEurope @WWFEU have been claiming for years that @EU_MARE must take seriously the conservation & management of sharks and rays.

Many species are critically threatened or endangered. E.g. over half of the species in the #Mediterranean @VSinkevicius

If the ES government of @sanchezcastejon doesn't assume that the #BiodiversityCrisis is an enormous challenge indivisible from the #ClimateCrisis, there won't be any possible #EcologicalTransition. We don't have an "Ocean B"’. Environment and Fishery ministers must work together.

My hope is based on civil society and those more and more fishers aware of this crisis working with other stakeholders to move towards #sustainability. These people deserve our support, because they can change the whole sector.

Lets save our #Ocean, its makos and livelihoods.