High Export Volumes Raise Concerns Under CITES
San José, Costa Rica – July 15, 2026. A report submitted to the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), prepared by the United Nations Environment Program World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), reveals that Costa Rica exported more than 2,000 metric tons of silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) meat and nearly 1,000 metric tons of dried fins over the past five years.
According to the report, Costa Rica accounts for 82% of global exports of silky shark products. The second-largest exporter, Sri Lanka, accounts for only 8%. Although the Costa Rican Fisheries and Aquaculture Institute (INCOPESCA) maintains that these exports are sustainable and comply with the conditions established in its Non-Detriment Findings (NDFs), the available evidence indicates that this trade may be occurring in a manner inconsistent with Costa Rica's obligations under CITES.
"An independent analysis of these data, together with Costa Rica's Non-Detriment Findings, concludes that significant inconsistencies may warrant the initiation of a Review of Significant Trade (RST) under CITES, which could ultimately result in the suspension of international trade in silky sharks until Costa Rica demonstrates, through robust scientific evidence, that exports are not detrimental to the survival of the species," said Randall Arauz of Marine Watch International. "The steady increase in export quotas for a threatened species, inconsistencies between landing and export records, the absence of a scientific basis for establishing export quotas, and the predominance of immature sharks in the catch all indicate that the current level of exploitation may not be compatible with the sustainability requirements established under CITES," Arauz added.
"Article 75 of Costa Rica's Wildlife Conservation Law provides that export permits for species listed in CITES Appendix II may be issued by the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) only for specimens that are artificially propagated or intended for scientific or cultural purposes—conditions that clearly do not apply in this case," said Daniel Arauz Naranjo, Executive Director of the Center for the Rescue of Threatened Marine Species (CREMA). "Costa Rica should be recognized for conserving the threatened species found within its waters, consistent with its international reputation, rather than for leading their commercial exploitation," Arauz Naranjo concluded.
For further information
Daniel Arauz Naranjo
Executive Director
CREMA – Costa Rica
Tel: +506 8328 1473
darauz@cremacr.org
Randall Arauz
Marine Conservation Policy Consultant
Marine Watch International
Tel: +506 8708 8253
rarauz@marinewatch.org