On February 26^th, 2019 in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Directorate of Fisheries and the Center for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development, from here on further referred to as MCD, jointly organized a training workshop to provisionally identify the dried fins of commercially traded CITES listed shark species. The training workshop is based on the CITIES Convention for managing, inspecting and controlling the legal trade of commercially-exploited, large-bodied, globally distributed species that are traded internationally in large numbers for their fins. The primary participants include customs officers working at any border entry point and field managers working in the fisheries sector.

Mr. Le Tran Nguyen Hung, representative of the Department of Aquatic Resources Conservation and Development, opened the Training Workshop

The workshop aimed at strengthening staff capacity, contributing to helping Vietnam join hands with the international community to prevent illegal fisheries exploitation and trade activities, while strengthening efforts to conserve fish species. Endangered.

Mr. Le Huu Tuan Anh, representative of the Department of Aquatic Resources Conservation and Development presented the draft National Action Plan on the Conservation of Endangered Sharks.

Tens of millions of sharks are exploited every year, accounting for a global trade worth over US $500 million annually. The overexploitation of sharks is a harm to marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass beds as the decline in sharks has proven to deteriorate these habitats, distort foods chains, and actively change the behavior of prey. Biologically, sharks are one of the only natural predators listed at the top of the food chain. Culturally, many island countries associate sharks symbolically with strength and dignity. Throughout these countries’ sharks are an iconic symbol displayed in paintings and found on currencies.

 Mr. Stan Shea – Bloom Association, Hong Kong shared about trade in shark products

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Specialist of CITES Vietnam Office presented information about CITES conventions

Vietnam is one of 183 countries that has signed the CITES Convention. We are in the process of preparing a national action plan for the conservation of rare marine species, such as sharks. The workshop invited an international expert, Debra Lynn Abercrombie, to guide the identification of shark species in CITES lists through dry fin samples.

Ms. Debra Lynn Abercrombie, an international expert

The seminar was also an opportunity for management agencies to learn methods, put experts’ knowledge and documents into practical training courses for executives, to promptly handle cases.

This workshop is just one of the activities within the framework of cooperation between MCD and Vietnam’s Directorate of Fisheries. This opportunity was made available with funding from ADM Hong Kong to enhance sustainable fisheries management, conservation and development of resources. This cooperation will continue to work to benefit fisheries and improve the sustainability of livelihoods in the coastal areas of Vietnam.

  Participants attended the workshop