Pew to Call for International Protections for Bluefin Tuna, Eight Species of Sharks

WASHINGTON, March 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, March 3 at 11 a.m. EST, the Pew Environment Group will host a press call to discuss international trade restrictions proposed for iconic marine species at the upcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference. During this meeting, which takes place in Doha, Qatar from March 13 – 25, government delegates from almost 200 countries will vote on the fate of more than 40 over-exploited species including: Atlantic bluefin tuna, three species of hammerhead sharks, oceanic whitetip, porbeagle, spiny dogfish, dusky and sandbar sharks.  

WHO: 

• Susan Lieberman – director, international policy, Pew Environment Group, who has attended every CITES meeting since 1989
• Dr. Demian D. Chapman – assistant science director, Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, Stonybrook University, who has worked on genetic testing of shark fins to identify the species the fins came from, facilitating enforcement of a potential CITES listing in the shark fin markets of East Asia
• Dr. Carl Safina – founder of the Blue Ocean Institute and former tuna fisherman who was involved with the Atlantic bluefin tuna proposal at the 1992 CITES meeting

WHEN:  

Wednesday, March 3, 11 a.m. EST

WHAT:

Pew to host a tele-press briefing to provide a preview of the upcoming CITES meeting and explain why it's critical that the Obama administration and the international community support protective measures for bluefin tuna and eight species of sharks.

CALL-IN:      

800.351.6807

+1 334.323.7224 (outside the U.S.)

Password – CITES

This call is for credentialed press only.

For position papers on tuna and shark proposals, CITES fact sheets and a report detailing the domestic U.S. economic impacts of a CITES Appendix I listing for bluefin tuna, go to www.pewenvironment.org/CITES. A recording of the call will also be posted to that site shortly after the briefing ends.

Broadcast quality b-roll of Atlantic bluefin tuna, scalloped hammerheads, oceanic whitetips, porbeagles and spiny dogfish is available upon request.

The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a non-governmental organization that applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improving public policy, informing the public and stimulating civic life.

SOURCE Pew Environment Group