IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group
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iucnshark.bsky.social
IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group
@iucnshark.bsky.social
The IUCN SSC Shark Specialsit Group was established in 1991 to respond to growing awareness and concern of the severe impact of fisheries on shark, ray, and chimaera populations around the world.
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Parda Reef in Cabo Verde!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/
and see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine #biodiversity
January 5, 2026 at 6:00 AM
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Weymouth in the UK!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/
and see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine #biodiversity
December 31, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the El Hierro in the Canary Islands, Spain!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/
and see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine #biodiversity
December 29, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Arrábida in Portugal!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/
and see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine #biodiversity
December 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM
The IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group wishes everyone a wonderful holiday season!

As we wrap up 2025, we celebrate the incredible progress made for shark, ray, and chimaera conservation around the world—from new science and policy wins to global collaboration across the SSG community.
December 23, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the An Mhuir Cheilteach in Ireland!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/
and see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine #biodiversity
December 22, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Île de Ré – Pertuis, in France!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/
and see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine #biodiversity
December 10, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Santa Luzia in Cabo Verde!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/
and see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine #biodiversity
December 8, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Transboundary Area, Northeast Atlantic Corridor!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/
& see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine #biodiversity
December 3, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Isles of Scilly Archipelago in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/

and see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA
December 1, 2025 at 12:01 PM
The last proposal for sharks has just passed at #CITESCoP20. Gulper Sharks have been adopted into Appendix II of CITES.

This marks a major victory for sharks and rays as all proposals have been adopted!

#CITES #CoP20 #gulpershark #shark #ray #chimaera #biodiversity #conservation #trade #conference
November 28, 2025 at 6:54 AM
Following quickly after giant guitarfishes, the annotation "A zero annual export quota for wild-taken specimens traded for commercial purposes" for Wedgefishes have just been successfully adopted at the #CITESCoP20

#CITES #CoP20 #wedgefish #shark #ray #chimaera #biodiversity #conservation #trade
November 28, 2025 at 6:26 AM
Hot off the press, "A zero annual export quota for wild-taken specimens traded for commercial purposes" annotation has been adopted for Giant Guitarfish (Glaucostegus spp.) at the #CITESCoP20

Follow along as more updates happen live!

#CITES #CoP20 #guitarfish #shark #ray #chimaera #biodiversity
November 28, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Carrying on the @CITES #CoP20 updates, the iconic Whale Sharks have been accepted by Parties to uplist from Appendix II to Appendix I!

Follow along as we proceed with the other shark and ray proposals live from #CITESCoP20

#CITES #whaleshark #shark #ray #chimaera #conservation #biodiversity
November 28, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Just an hour ago at the CITES #CoP20 all Mantas and Devil Rays (Mobulidae spp.) were accepted by consensus to uplist from Appendix II to Appendix I!

Follow along for more updates live.

#CITESCoP20 #mobulids #manta #devilrays #shark #ray #chimaera #biodiversity #conservation #trade #conference
November 28, 2025 at 5:55 AM
This morning, Tope (Galeus galeorhinus) and Smoothhounds (Mustelus spp.) were adopted into Appendix II of CITES at the #CITESCoP20!

Implementation of this decision has been delayed by 18 months.

#CITES #Tope #smoothhounds #shark #ray #chimaera #biodiversity #conservation #trade #conference
November 28, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Yesterday, at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora's (CITES) 20th Conference of Parties, Oceanic Whitetip Sharks were uplisted from Appendix II to Appendix I!

Read more here: newsroom.wcs.org/News-Release...
November 28, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Today is the first day of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora's (CITES) 20th Conference of Parties (CoP20)!

#CITES #CoP20 #conservation #biodiversity #trade #shark #ray #chimaera
November 24, 2025 at 6:42 AM
Today is World Fisheries Day, a time to highlight the importance of responsible fishing from the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group.
November 21, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Avilés-Colunga in Spain!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/
and see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine #biodiversity
November 20, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Costa Vicentina Slope in Portugal!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/
and see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine #biodiversity
November 18, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Abstract Submission Deadline Extended to November 30, 2025!

The IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group will be hosting the sessions: “Advancing Area-Based Management for Chondrichthyans: Challenges and Opportunities.” and “Leveraging Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) for Policy Action.”
November 17, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Big news from the ISRA project!

We’re preparing for one of our largest workshops yet, combining two ISRA regions — the North American Pacific and North American and Caribbean Atlantic — as the 11th and 12th regions in our global effort to map critical habitats for sharks, rays, and chimaeras.
November 6, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Bay of Angels in Ireland!

Learn more about the ISRA project: sharkrayareas.org/isra/faq/
and see the compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine #biodiversity
November 5, 2025 at 6:00 AM