Just one of the many victory laps, by people I like.
This is the one by my good friends at Shark Savers, whereas I could not yet find one by Pew (and by extension, Shark Defenders) who have run an immaculate, professional and highly impressive campaign.
The others? Honorable mention to PADI Project AWARE, the IUCN, the WWF, the Shark Trust and probably Shark Advocates International tho in the latter case, reports of personal bickering about the Manta Ray proposal have left me decidedly underwhelmed.
And the SRI? I hear that they were as useless as a third teat - and no I'm not surprised!
But I'm digressing as always.
The fact is that this has been simply stellar and huge kudos once again to everybody involved!
But... it's not done quite yet.
Like the BBC, I fully expect Japan and China to pull out all the stops in order to sink this at the plenary session this Thursday, and the pro listing advocates will have their hands full in countering the likely pressure, disinformation and outright lies. But maybe with the exception of the OWT, the majorities have been so impressive that chances for a reversal appear slim - tho it aint over til the fat lady sings!
Fingers crossed - and kudos again!
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And congratulations to my friend Sarah Fowler who was -- as always -- no doubt in the epicentre quietly and efficiently doing her thing.
I gotta admit, my emotions are pouring over today.
History was made today.
The world is a better place now.
Everyone rejoice
Thank You all involved & especially DaMary
TOTALLY agree on both counts! :)
So many heroes! Shawn's latest facebook posts lists several and there are MORE! Often in conservation, there is (un)necessary competition for a huge victory like this -- both in the getting and in the claiming of victory. I have seen little of either with this amazing effort and preliminary victory. I am happy for these animals, the oceans, divers everywhere and local people who will benefit from these protections; but I am equally, if not more happy, for the precedent of NGO and .org full cooperation (for the most part). If this can be applied to other issues, we could see a real turn around in international protections for the oceans! *Still dancing around my office in joy and gratitude* A million THANK YOUs to everyone who worked on this; specific scientists who put conservation before publication, activists who learned about CITES so they could be affective, advocates who worked behind the scenes, and people in the field who shared what they've experienced and seen to get the ball rolling in the first place. Truly a team effort!!!
Bickering about mantas... by this do you mean the process thru which the loud and opinionated panicked other CITES novices into ignoring Sonja's expert advice? Result: they blew the chance to include all devil rays in CITES, alongside the two species of mantas. Place your bets now on how many years (decades?) it will be before trade in devilray gill rakers can be regulated. Suggestions for what this will mean for the survival of their populations? Congratulations, for sure, particularly to Ecuador, Brazil, Columbia, Sonja and her team, but just a hint of a slow hand clap for those who will always believe that they know better.
Aaaahhh the dreaded loud and opinionated CITES NOVICES...
who contrary to the seasoned EXPERTS who miserably failed in Doha managed to get five species of Sharks and 2 Mantas approved...
Well, nothing is preventing the EXPERT crack team from publishing the science (where is it???) and then having some countries propose the Mobulas in 3 years' time - no?
So, maybe, u wanna stop backstabbing and start working on that instead?
...No, Mike. My expert source informs me that the Mobulas should have been included under the Manta umbrella because the dried gill rakers are very similar in appearance. There was the opportunity to do this NOW and include the whole suite of animals from the start but it didn't happen -- and it is going to be much harder to get the Mobulas included further down the line, alas.
I beg to differ amigo.
Now that there's precedent due to this break-through, I see no reason why the Mobula folks can't go and obtain the necessary research/data to cement their argument, organize an equally spirited campaign & then have a Party submit the proposal in 2016.
Standing ovation for 'CITES novices'. That is all.
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