CITES 2025, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
The Oceanic Whitetip Shark, the Whale Shark, and Manta Rays have been granted the highest level of international protection under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), prohibiting their international commercial trade.
Ocean conservation requires science, commitment, and above all, international collaboration. In a global context where overexploitation and illegal trade of marine species have placed many populations at risk, every advance in environmental policy represents a collective victory. The inclusion of the whale shark and manta rays in Appendix I was approved by consensus during the CITES 2025 Conference of the Parties, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Fundación Saving Our Sharks was an active part of this historic process. With the participation of its President, José Luis Funes, in dialogue tables, forums, and decision-making spaces at CITES 2025—where more than 3,300 delegates from 170 countries and international organizations convened—this sustained work, in collaboration with governments, civil society organizations, and local communities, helped strengthen the arguments that today translate into greater protection for key species within marine ecosystems.
Conservation is a collective effort, and every international decision brings the world closer to a future in which sharks continue to fulfill their vital role in the planet’s oceans.
For Fundación Saving Our Sharks, these results confirm that sustained work in science, education, and international dialogue leads to real change. Protecting the whale shark, the oceanic whitetip shark, and manta rays not only benefits these iconic species, but also strengthens the health of the oceans and the communities that depend on them.
The CITES Appendices
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) includes three appendices that classify species according to their level of risk and the degree of control required over their international trade. These appendices are key tools for global conservation.
Appendix I – The highest level of international protection
Includes species that are at the greatest risk of extinction.
International commercial trade is prohibited.
Only very limited exceptions are allowed, such as scientific research, conservation programs, or special circumstances, always under strict permits from both the exporting and importing countries.
Appendix II – Preventing species from reaching a critical status
Includes species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction at present, but could become so if their trade is not regulated.
International trade is permitted but strictly controlled through permits and scientific findings that ensure extraction does not harm the species’ survival.
Appendix III – Strengthening national conservation efforts with international support
Includes species that a country chooses to protect within its territory and for which it requests international cooperation to control trade.
Trade is permitted but requires documentation certifying its legal origin.
