Stellenbosch University (SU) shark geneticists are elated that South Africa will vote in favour of providing greater protection through CITES to thresher sharks‚ silky sharks and nine mobula ray species. Silky and thresher sharks are found in South African waters‚ but are not species of economic importance to the local fishing industry. Thresher sharks are tourism attractions around smaller island nations such as the Philippines.Katie Gledhill‚ a SU research affiliate and PhD student at the University of Technology Sydney‚ said in a statement posted by the university there had been a worrying increase in the trade of gill plates of mobula ray species for use in traditional Chinese medicine.“As concerned members of the academic and shark scientific community‚ we would like to express our support for inclusion of the thresher shark‚ silky shark and nine species of mobula ray proposed listings for CITES Appendix II‚" said Dr Aletta Bester-van der Merwe of the SU Department of Genetics‚ and Gledhill.“Inclusion of these species listed on CITES Appendix II will help to ensure that any international trade in these species will be managed sustainably and will be of little detriment to wild populations."The CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) convention of the parties (otherwise known as CoP17) is being held in Johannesburg‚ South Africa. CITES is widely recognised as an effective tool to reduce global trade in endangered species."The stance taken by South Africa shows that the country is serious about shark conservation and the sustainable management of shark fisheries and trade‚" says Gledhill‚ who works as a research scientist for the South African Shark Conservancy."Getting these species listed on CITES Appendix II will ensure that any international trade in these species will be managed sustainably and will be of no detriment to wild populations.""This will ensure that future generations will have sustainable shark populations for years to come‚" she adds.South Africa‚ she said‚ was at the global forefront of shark conservation efforts‚ including the first country to give white sharks national protection. ..