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About Sharks: Restoring the Balance

Paul Mckenzie / WWF

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries.

WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

Sharks: Restoring the Balance is a joint global shark and ray conservation programme of WWF and TRAFFIC.

Where we work

Our work is led at the international level by a core team from WWF and TRAFFIC, which supports our in-country teams working on regional and national conservation issues. Click on the icons to learn more. 

Hong Kong
Reducing shark fin consumption; engaging shipping companies on restrictive shark fin carriage policies
Singapore
Reducing shark fin consumption; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products.
Malaysia

Effective marine protected areas for sharks; reducing shark bycatch; supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; reducing shark fin consumption.

Indonesia
Improving fisheries management for sharks, and reduction of their bycatch; supporting implementation of National Plan of Action for Sharks; effective marine protected areas for sharks; responsible shark and ray tourism; reducing shark fin consumption.
Pakistan
Improving fisheries management for sharks, and reduction of their bycatch; supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; effective marine protected areas for sharks, shark tagging; protection of endangered sharks and rays.
India

Reducing shark bycatch; community surveys of shark catches; improving the sustainability of the trade in sharks.

Fiji

Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; engagement with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission to improve fisheries management for sharks; responsible shark and ray tourism.

Mozambique

Effective marine protected areas for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks.

Philippines
Effective marine protected areas for sharks, responsible shark and ray tourism.
Ecuador

Improving fisheries management for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks, supporting the implementation of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), effective marine protected areas for sharks, responsible shark and ray tourism.

Colombia

Effective marine protected areas for sharks,supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks.

Mexico

Effective marine protected areas for sharks, improving fisheries management for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks, supporting the implementation of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), responsible shark and ray tourism.

Spain

Improving fisheries management for sharks and reduction of their bycatch; engagement with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT); improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products (through WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative)

Italy

Improving fisheries management for sharks and reduction of their bycatch; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products (through WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative)

United Arab Emirates

Effective marine protected areas for sharks; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products

Papua New Guinea

Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks

Solomon Islands

Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks

Thailand

Reducing shark fin consumption

China

Reducing shark fin consumption

Australia

Effective marine protected areas for sharks; species protection.

Portugal

Improving fisheries management for sharks and rays; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark and ray products 

Republic of the Congo

TRAFFIC's office - improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products

Peru

Improving fisheries management for sharks and rays; supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark and ray products

Tunisia

Saving species from extinction (through the WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative)

Germany

Network fundraising; international policy and strategic advice

  • Hong Kong
    Reducing shark fin consumption; engaging shipping companies on restrictive shark fin carriage policies
  • Singapore
    Reducing shark fin consumption; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products.
  • Malaysia

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks; reducing shark bycatch; supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; reducing shark fin consumption.

  • Indonesia
    Improving fisheries management for sharks, and reduction of their bycatch; supporting implementation of National Plan of Action for Sharks; effective marine protected areas for sharks; responsible shark and ray tourism; reducing shark fin consumption.
  • Pakistan
    Improving fisheries management for sharks, and reduction of their bycatch; supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; effective marine protected areas for sharks, shark tagging; protection of endangered sharks and rays.
  • India

    Reducing shark bycatch; community surveys of shark catches; improving the sustainability of the trade in sharks.

  • Fiji

    Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; engagement with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission to improve fisheries management for sharks; responsible shark and ray tourism.

  • Mozambique

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks.

  • Philippines
    Effective marine protected areas for sharks, responsible shark and ray tourism.
  • Ecuador

    Improving fisheries management for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks, supporting the implementation of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), effective marine protected areas for sharks, responsible shark and ray tourism.

  • Colombia

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks,supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks.

  • Mexico

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks, improving fisheries management for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks, supporting the implementation of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), responsible shark and ray tourism.

  • Spain

    Improving fisheries management for sharks and reduction of their bycatch; engagement with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT); improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products (through WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative)

  • Italy

    Improving fisheries management for sharks and reduction of their bycatch; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products (through WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative)

  • United Arab Emirates

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products

  • Papua New Guinea

    Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks

  • Solomon Islands

    Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks

  • Thailand

    Reducing shark fin consumption

  • China

    Reducing shark fin consumption

  • Australia

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks; species protection.

  • Portugal

    Improving fisheries management for sharks and rays; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark and ray products 

  • Republic of the Congo

    TRAFFIC's office - improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products

  • Peru

    Improving fisheries management for sharks and rays; supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark and ray products

  • Tunisia

    Saving species from extinction (through the WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative)

  • Germany

    Network fundraising; international policy and strategic advice

Hong Kong
Reducing shark fin consumption; engaging shipping companies on restrictive shark fin carriage policies
Singapore
Reducing shark fin consumption; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products.
Malaysia

Effective marine protected areas for sharks; reducing shark bycatch; supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; reducing shark fin consumption.

Indonesia
Improving fisheries management for sharks, and reduction of their bycatch; supporting implementation of National Plan of Action for Sharks; effective marine protected areas for sharks; responsible shark and ray tourism; reducing shark fin consumption.
Pakistan
Improving fisheries management for sharks, and reduction of their bycatch; supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; effective marine protected areas for sharks, shark tagging; protection of endangered sharks and rays.
India

Reducing shark bycatch; community surveys of shark catches; improving the sustainability of trade in sharks.

Fiji

Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; engagement with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) to improve fisheries management for sharks; responsible shark and ray tourism.

Mozambique

Effective marine protected areas for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks.

Philippines
Effective marine protected areas for sharks, responsible shark and ray tourism.
Ecuador

Improving fisheries management for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks, supporting the implementation of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), effective marine protected areas for sharks, responsible shark and ray tourism.

Colombia

Effective marine protected areas for sharks,supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks.

Mexico

Effective marine protected areas for sharks, improving fisheries management for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks, supporting the implementation of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

Spain

Improving fisheries management for sharks and reduction of their bycatch; engagement with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT); improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products (through WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative)

Italy

Improving fisheries management for sharks and reduction of their bycatch; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products (through WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative)

United Arab Emirates

Effective marine protected areas for sharks; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products

Papua New Guinea

Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks

Solomon Islands

Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks

Thailand

Reducing shark fin consumption

China

Reducing shark fin consumption

Australia

Effective marine protected areas for sharks; species protection.

Germany
  • Hong Kong
    Reducing shark fin consumption; engaging shipping companies on restrictive shark fin carriage policies
  • Singapore
    Reducing shark fin consumption; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products.
  • Malaysia

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks; reducing shark bycatch; supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; reducing shark fin consumption.

  • Indonesia
    Improving fisheries management for sharks, and reduction of their bycatch; supporting implementation of National Plan of Action for Sharks; effective marine protected areas for sharks; responsible shark and ray tourism; reducing shark fin consumption.
  • Pakistan
    Improving fisheries management for sharks, and reduction of their bycatch; supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; effective marine protected areas for sharks, shark tagging; protection of endangered sharks and rays.
  • India

    Reducing shark bycatch; community surveys of shark catches; improving the sustainability of trade in sharks.

  • Fiji

    Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks; engagement with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) to improve fisheries management for sharks; responsible shark and ray tourism.

  • Mozambique

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks.

  • Philippines
    Effective marine protected areas for sharks, responsible shark and ray tourism.
  • Ecuador

    Improving fisheries management for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks, supporting the implementation of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), effective marine protected areas for sharks, responsible shark and ray tourism.

  • Colombia

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks,supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks.

  • Mexico

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks, improving fisheries management for sharks, supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks, supporting the implementation of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

  • Spain

    Improving fisheries management for sharks and reduction of their bycatch; engagement with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT); improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products (through WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative)

  • Italy

    Improving fisheries management for sharks and reduction of their bycatch; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products (through WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative)

  • United Arab Emirates

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks; improving sustainability of the international trade in shark products

  • Papua New Guinea

    Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks

  • Solomon Islands

    Supporting development of a National Plan of Action for Sharks

  • Thailand

    Reducing shark fin consumption

  • China

    Reducing shark fin consumption

  • Australia

    Effective marine protected areas for sharks; species protection.

  • Germany

Partnership with TRAFFIC

TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC works closely with its founding organisations, IUCN and WWF, making a critical contribution to achievement of their conservation goals through a unique partnership that complements and engages the considerable strengths of each of these two major global conservation organizations.


TRAFFIC leads on the Responsible Trade strategy of Sharks: Restoring the Balance, conducting analyses into the major trade, markets and consumption of shark and ray products, engaging with CITES, and developing traceability systems.   

Andy Cornish / WWF

Who We Are

The Core Team

Andy Cornish

Leader, WWF and TRAFFIC's Sharks: Restoring the Balance, WWF-Hong Kong

Andy Ieads Sharks: Restoring the Balance, and oversees its responsible consumption and management strategies. He is the WWF network’s representative among the core partners of the Global Sharks and Rays Initiative, and co-author of Global Priorities for Conserving Sharks and Rays: A 2015-2025 Strategy.

Glenn Sant

Fisheries Trade Programme Leader, TRAFFIC

Glenn Sant is TRAFFIC’s Fisheries Trade Programme Leader and a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Wollongong’s Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, where he is based. As the TRAFFIC leader in the Global Sharks and Rays Initiative (GSRI) partnership, Glenn has been able to help lead the development of the strategy associated with responsible trade, a key part of which involves issues associated with the implementation of CITES.

Magda Nieduzak

Senior Communications Officer, Sharks: Restoring the Balance, WWF-Hong Kong

Magda leads communications for Sharks: Restoring the Balance. She is a communications and PR specialist with experience gained in the UK and Hong Kong and a passion for shark conservation.

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