Mako sharks are known as cheetah of the ocean for their speed
ADVERTISEMENTThe global wildlife trade summit has voted to increase protections for the Mako shark. Known as the Cheetah of the ocean for its speed, the species was recently listed as endangered after a significant decrease in population.
The new measures were proposed this week Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora - or CITIES - conference this week in Geneva, alongside a swathe of other changes to protections on the trade of endangered species.
The shark is still fished for food in both the US and Japan.
Susan Lieberman from from Wildlife Conservation Society said that the shark which was once "abundant" is now under threat in both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Yet, saving the sharks which are often caught for their fins and meat, would not be a case of getting them off the menu, but more about making it's consumption sustainable.
The new measures, which campaigners hope will be officially adopted in the plenary session later this week, would bring in permits and controls around fishing the shark to ensure its consumption is "sustainable"
"This is a victory for the Mako shark," Lieberman told Euronews.
The new measures follows heated debate over the future of the ivory trade.
Watch the full interview in the player above.