An update on the National Plan of Action for Sharks, South Africa

South Africa has one of the most diverse shark faunas in the world and many species are caught in appreciable quantities in directed and non-directed shark fisheries. South Africa has well developed fisheries management systems for most of its fisheries and many challenges with regard to the sustainable management and conservation of sharks have already been identified and addressed in individual fisheries policies and management measures. The South African National Plan of Action for sharks (NPOA-Sharks) was finalised in 2013 and provided information on the status of chondrichthyans in South Africa and examined structure, mechanisms and regulatory framework related to research, management, monitoring, and enforcement associated with shark fishing and trade of shark product in the South African context. This information was used to identify, group and prioritize issues particular to South African chondrichthyan resources that require intervention in the forms of specific actions, associated responsibilities and time frames. It provides a guideline for identifying and resolving the outstanding issues around management and conservation of sharks to ensure their optimal, long term, sustainable use for the benefit of all South Africans. Integral to the NPOA for Sharks -South Africa was the list of issues to be addressed in terms of improving sources of data, addressing scientific knowledge on common and cryptic species and thereby improving the management of chondrichthyan fisheries. The NPOA for Sharks – South Africa is in the process of being updated and the progress in implementation is highlighted in this paper