Decision directed to Secretariat
The Secretariat shall, subject to external funding:
a) contract appropriate technical and scientific experts within 12 months of the conclusion of the twentieth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, to prepare technical documents relating to deep-water elasmobranchs that take into account the replies to Notification to the Parties No. 2024/088, as well as any relevant responses to the Notification called for in Decision 20.208, paragraph a), on Sharks and rays (Elasmobranchii spp.) submitted by the Standing Committee to the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP20; Samarkand, 2025) for consideration, and include:
i) an overview of the conservation status, population status and trends of deep-water elasmobranchs, highlighting specific gaps in knowledge by species at global and regional scales, focusing on any deep-water sharks that were included in the CITES Appendices at CoP20 and,
ii) an overview of the international trade and management of species of deep-water elasmobranchs and their products, including processing and supply routes and where available, and in consultation with the relevant bodies, species-specific catch and trade data and a compilation of current catch and trade restrictions and management measures relating to these species, with an assessment of the effectiveness of these measures focusing specifically on any deep-water sharks that were included in the CITES Appendices at CoP20; and
b) depending on the availability of external resources, convene either a technical workshop or a series of workshops, which could be online, to consider the reports referred to in paragraph a), and to discuss:
i) the conservation priorities and management needs related to the trade of non-CITES listed deep-water elasmobranchs, and consider how potential CITES measures, in addition to the Centrophoridae family proposal submitted to CoP20, could complement existing fisheries management measures to support global, regional and/or multilateral approaches; and if relevant,
ii) tools and approaches to effectively implement any CITES listings for deep-water sharks agreed by CoP20, including consideration of best practises for conducting non-detriment findings and legal acquisition findings and addressing any potential implementation challenges, including the traceability of shark liver oil products;
c) invite the Animals Committee, the Secretariats of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals and relevant daughter agreements and Memorandums of Understanding, Food & Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, other Regional Fisheries Bodies, other relevant scientific advisory bodies, representatives from States, especially those which flag vessels undertake deep-sea fisheries, exporting, transit, importing and consumer countries, fishery stakeholder and industry representatives, and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to participate in the workshop(s) or online meeting(s), and to contribute relevant information and expertise to the reports referred to in paragraph a); and
d) submit the findings and recommendations of the technical workshop(s) or online meetings to the Animals Committee at their 35th meeting for their consideration.