Let us join the petition asking the Philippines delegation to CITES to vote YES in protecting the endangered thresher shark - pushing for its inclusion in the "Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora" appendix II. You can join the appeal at https://www.change.org/p/philippines-vote-yes-for-threshers
This briefing was given by AA Yaptinchay of Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines (https://www.facebook.com/marinewildlifewatchofthephilippines/) last September 2 at the Bloggers Advocacy Briefing organized by Janette Toral.
Protect the Thresher Shark Briefing #PHSayYes #WorldSayYes
1. PROTECTING PREDATORS
by AA Yaptinchay
Marine Wildlife Watch of the PhilippinesMarine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines
2 September 2016 at BSpot Eton Cyberpod
4. Fishes Marine Mammals
Difference between
• Warm-blooded
• Breathes through blowholes
or nostrils
• Swim by moving tail up and
down
• Live birth and nurtured with
milk
• Primarily cold-blooded
• Breathes through gills
• Swim by moving tail side by
side
• Primarily egg-laying
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5. Chondrichthyes
Bony fishes
Osteichthyes
Difference between
• Bony skeleton
• Covered gills (operculum)
• Scales
• Teeth attach to bone
• Has gas bladder
• External fertilization
(usually)
• Cartilaginous skeleton
• 5-7 slits of uncovered gills
• Denticles instead of scales
• Teeth attach to gum
• No gas bladder
• Internal fertilization (Male:
claspers)
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6. Shark skin
Fish scalesShark denticles
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Most elasmobranchs have rough, abrasive skin.
Some may even have tiny spikes called denticles.
7. Sharks
Batoid Fishes
(skates & rays)
Elasmobranchs
• cylindrical in shape
• 5 external gill openings
• Pectoral fins never attached to
head in front of gill openings
• Mostly flattened
• 5 ventrally-located external gill
openings
• Pectoral fins attached to the head
in front of the gill openings
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9. Anatomy
Males have a pair of claspers attached near the pelvic fins
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10. Diet
Most sharks have sharp teeth for
holding and cutting prey (fish, squid,
octopus, marine mammals & birds).
Filter feeders have teeth but they
don’t use them for eating. They use
gill rakers to filter zooplankton.
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Photo by JAT Utzurrum Photo by Steve de Neef
13. Philippine Sharks
The Philippines is among
the TOP 5 countries in the
world with high shark
diversity.diversity.
2 September 2016 at BSpot Eton Cyberpod
Download the PDF for free
www.mwwphilippines.org
15. 94
Philippine Shark Species
Sharks
66Batoids
In year 2005, 160 species were listed in the
Checklist of Philippine Chondrichthyes
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Sharks Batoids
• 59% confirmed present
• 41% unconfirmed, but with likelihood for occurrence based on
distributional information
• At least 23% are new records or still undescribed
• 16% are possible endemic species or unique only to the Philippines
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Photo from SU-IEMS Photo Catalogue.
Use with permission.
18. Elasmobranchs are found throughout
the Philippine Seas
Places of interest:
• Donsol, Sorsogon
– Whale shark feeding aggregation
Philippine Seas
• Manta Bowl, Ticao Pass
– Manta ray cleaning station
• Cagayan de Oro
– Highest concentration of Megamouth
shark strandings
• Malapascua Island, Cebu
– Thresher shark cleaning station
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22. Big-eye Thresher Shark
Alopias superciliosus
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The big-eye thresher shark can be distinguished by its very large eyes
and indented forehead
23. Common Thresher Shark
Alopias vulpinus
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The common thresher shark can be distinguished by their white
mottled abdomen and relatively small eyes.
24. Thresher Shark Dive Encounter
The Philippines is the
only place in the world
where you can dive
with thresher sharks!
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with thresher sharks!
26. Thresher Shark Dive Encounter
Apart from Monad Shoal in Malapascua,
SCUBA divers have also encountered
thresher sharks around:
• Apo Reef, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro
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• Apo Reef, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro
• Burias Pass
• Tubbataha Reef
• Moalboal, Cebu
• Apo Island, Dauin, Negros Oriental
27. Monad Shoal: Cleaning station
Pelagic thresher sharks regularly visit Monad Shoal to get
cleaned of parasites by cleaner and moon wrasses.
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28. Monad Shoal: Pupping ground
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Aside from being a cleaning station, Monad Shoal
shows evidence of being a pupping ground as well.
29. Pescador Island: Feeding ground
29
Thresher sharks use their tails as whips, which effectively kills or stuns their prey.
Unique Fins
2 September 2016 at BSpot Eton Cyberpod
33. Life History Characteristics
• Slow-growing
• Long-lived
• Low natural mortality
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• Late sexual maturity
• Low Fecundity
= LOW REPRODUCTIVE POTENTIAL
= LOW CAPACITY FOR POPULATION INCREASE
34. Shark Protection in the Philippines
Domestic Policies
I. Republic Act 8550, The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998
a. Section 97. Fishing or Taking of Rare, Threatened or Endangered Species
“It shall be unlawful to take rare, threatened or endangered species as listed
in the CITES and as determined by the Department (DA-BFAR).”
II. Republic Act 10654, An Act to Prevent, Deter andII. Republic Act 10654, An Act to Prevent, Deter and
Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
a. Section 102. Fishing or Taking of Rare, Threatened or Endangered Species
III. Fisheries Administrative Order No. 193, S. 1998
Ban on the taking, catching, selling, purchasing and possessing, transporting
and exporting of Whale Sharks of Manta Rays (Manta birostris)
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35. Shark Protection in the Philippines
Domestic Policies
Relevant Laws and Policies
• Fisheries Administrative Orders
– FAO 193 (1998) Whale Sharks and Manta Ray
– FAO 208 (2001) Rare, threatened and endangered species
– FAO 233 (2010) Aquatic wildlife conservation– FAO 233 (2010) Aquatic wildlife conservation
– FAO 233-1 (2011) Export, import and re-export of aquatic wildlife
– FAO 233-2 (2012) Amended for fees
• Tourism Local Ordinances
– Donsol: Whale Shark Sanctuary and interaction guidelines
– Oslob: Whale Shark tourism
– Southern Leyte: Whale Shark tourism
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36. Shark Protection in the Philippines
Domestic Policies
IV. Local Ordinances
a. City of Batangas
• Ordinance No. 9 s. 2008 – “An Ordinance for the Protection of
Threatened Marine and their Critical Habitats within the Jurisdiction
of Batangas City ”
• Marine species known to be present: whales, dolphins, thresher
sharks, whale shark, marine turtles, some species of sea snake,
humphead wrasse, mouse grouper, corals, mangroves, giant clams,
chambered nautilus, and other shell species
b. Province of Cebu
• Cebu Provincial Board Ordinance No. 2014-15, penalizing the
catching, possession, and trading of all shark and ray species in Cebu.
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37. Shark Protection in the Philippines
Domestic Policies
c. Municipality of Daanbantayan, Cebu
• Executive Order 16-2015, designated Monad Shoal and Gato Island
as a shark and ray sanctuary, prohibiting catching and trading of all
shark and ray species
• Rare species such as thresher sharks, whitetip sharks, manta rays and
devil rays can be found in these areasdevil rays can be found in these areas
d. Municipality of Panglao
• Panglao Municipal Ordinance No. 02, Series of 2015
• Includes: thresher sharks, oceanic whitetip, hammerhead sharks,
bamboo shark, blacktip shark, reef and giant manta rays, stingray
Myliobatoidei, spotted eagle ray, ribbontail stingray
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38. Shark Protection in the Philippines
Domestic Policies
e. Palawan Province – Palawan Council for Sustainable
Development (PCSD)
• PCSD Resolution No. 15-521, s. 2015, which approves the updated
list of threatened terrestrial and marine wildlife in Palawan and their
categories, pursuant to RA 9147 or the Wildlife Act
• Sharks and rays listed are sawfishes, hammerhead sharks, pelagic• Sharks and rays listed are sawfishes, hammerhead sharks, pelagic
thresher shark, oceanic white tip, reticulate whip ray, porcupine ray,
tawny nurse shark, bull0head shark, manta ray, reef manta ray, whale
shark, bow mouth guitarfish, white-spotted guitarfish, smooth
hammerhead and the leopard/zebra shark.
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39. Shark Protection in the Philippines
International Policies
I. Conservation of Migratory Sharks (CMS)
The Philippines is a signatory to the CMS Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU), which protects the following:
– Shortfin Mako shark, Basking shark, Whale shark, Longfin Mako
shark, Great White shark, Porbeagle shark and Spiny Dogfish
II. Regional Fisheries Management OrganizationsII. Regional Fisheries Management Organizations
(RFMOs)
RFMO - an international body made up of countries sharing a
practical/financial interest in managing and conserving
fish stocks in a particular region
III. Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
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41. Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
• An agreement between governments (known as Parties)• An agreement between governments (known as Parties)
to ensure that wild fauna and flora in international trade
are not exploited unsustainably
• The Philippines signed the Agreement on 18 August 1981
and came into force on 18 November 1981
• Meets every 3 years to approve or disapprove proposals
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42. Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
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43. Shark Protection in the Philippines
International Policies
Species subject to CITES regulation are divided among three
Appendices:
• Appendix I
Includes species threatened with extinction
International commercial trade is generally prohibited
• Appendix II• Appendix II
Includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but trade
must be controlled to avoid becoming threatened
Includes species that resemble those included in Appendix I or II
International trade is permitted but controlled
• Appendix III
Includes species for which a country is asking Parties to help with its
protection
International trade is permitted but controlled
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44. Shark Protection in the Philippines
International Policies
Shark and Ray species currently listed under CITES
Species Appendix Philippines
Whale Shark, Rhincodon typus II (2003) Yes
Basking Shark, Cetorhinus maximus II (2003) Unconfirmed
Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias II (2005) Yes
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Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias II (2005) Yes
Oceanic Whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus II (2013) Yes
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark, Sphyrna lewini II (2013) Yes
Great Hammerhead Shark, Sphyrna mokarran II (2013) Yes
Smooth Hammerhead Shark, Sphyrna zygaena II (2013) Yes
Porbeagle or Mackerel Shark, Lamna nasus II (2013) No
All Sawfish species, Pristidae spp. I (2007/2013) 3 species
Giant or Oceanic Manta, Manta birostris II (2013) Yes
Reef Manta, Manta alfredi II (2013) Yes
45. Shark Protection in the Philippines
International Policies
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47. Treasured Thresher Sharks
The presence of thresher sharks fuels the local dive and tourism industries
in Daanbantayan, which accounts for 80% of the municipal economy.
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48. Treasured Thresher Sharks
The presence of thresher sharks ensures the livelihood of locals in
Daanbantayan and neighboring communities.
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55. CITES Appendix II Listing
Sri Lanka, formerly one of the world’s leading
thresher shark fishers, submitted a proposal to
list all three species of thresher sharks in
Appendix II.Appendix II.
The listing will be voted on during the
CITES 17th Conference of Parties (CoP) from
24 September to 5 October 2016.
SCHEDULED FOR 29 SEPTEMBER. 552 September 2016 at BSpot Eton Cyberpod
62. Municipal Resolution
62
The representatives of the people of Daanbantayan have spoken!#DBsaidYes in a
unanimous vote to ask the Philippine Delegate o #CoP17at #CITES to #PHsayYES in
order to #SaveThreaherTala and to#ProtectTheThreshers.
64. How you can help
• Raise public awareness
• Get government to support the cause
• Get everyone to sign the petition
64
• Get everyone to sign the petition