About Sharks: Restoring the Balance
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
Singapore
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
Pakistan
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
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 policiesSingapore
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
Singapore
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
Pakistan
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
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 policiesSingapore
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.
Who We Are
The Core Team
Andy Cornish
Glenn Sant
Magda Nieduzak
Working to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and nature.
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