But until last week, there were no international controls in place to regulate trade in these species despite growing demand for their livers.
That has now changed through the latest decisions adopted at CITES, which Warwick said mark a turning point in marine conservation.
For much of its 50-year history, the convention focused on protecting iconic land species like elephants, rhinos, primates, and parrots, or charismatic marine species like sea turtles, Warwick said. By 1981, CITES had imposed an international ban on all international trade of sea turtles, which Warwick credited for helping some species make remarkable comebacks in the last few decades. Only in the last 10 years,
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