On Tuesday 12 March, the European Commission published a questionnaire designed to gather public opinion on possible measures to better protect and manage shark stocks and associated marine ecosystems.
The aim of this consultation is to gather the views of the public in order to ensure an informed follow-up to the response to the 2023 European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) ‘Stop Finning - Stop the Trade’. It follows the February 2024 call for evidence launched to gather data and stakeholder expertise on a possible ban on the export and import of bulk shark fins and their sale on the EU market (see EUROPE 13356/6).
The ECI has collected over a million signatures. “While assessing environmental, social and economic impacts of measures that could improve shark protection, we also seek views of a wider public, to make sure that the European Commission’s response to this initiative is the best possible one”, says European Commissioner for Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius.
The questionnaire will be available online until 4 June.
Link to the consultation: https://aeur.eu/f/b9c (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)