AC34 Update: Closing the Gap Between CITES and RFMO Shark Compliance

In July 2026, representatives of the Shark League joined Wildlife Conservation Society colleagues at a side event held during the 34th meeting of the CITES Animals Committee (AC34) in Geneva.

The session, “Closing the Gap Between CITES & RFMO Compliance,” looked at the disconnect between environmental and fisheries management frameworks for sharks.

As part of our ongoing work to ‘bridge the gaps’ between fisheries and environment realms, we highlighted actions needed for makos, silky sharks and threshers, and challenges with accurate catch reporting.

The panel referenced ICCAT discard data alongside the Shark League’s 2023 report, Bridging the Gaps that Hinder Shark Conservation, an analysis of ICCAT Parties’ policies for CITES-listed Atlantic elasmobranchs.