At the Intersection of Science & Policy: International Shark Conservation & Management

This paper begins by looking at RFMO conservation and management measures that address shark conservation. It then discusses the effectiveness of those types of measures and examines why some measures are ineffective. This paper then analyzes the current scientific knowledge and stock assessments for key shark species. This paper limits its assessment of scientific information to RFMO scientific committee reports and analyses and does not include any outside scientific sources. This is done deliberately to ensure that the scientific information considered is the same scientific information that the RFMOs have available to them, thereby replicating the type of data that RFMOs are likely to utilize in the future. Finally, this paper proposes a method for better incorporating the scientific data gleaned from RFMO scientific committee reports and analyses into future conservation measures in or der to make those measures as effective and efficient as possible.