Finally, the long awaited updated list of protected species in Malta has been released. The new revised list now has 14 Shark species and 5 species of Rays totally protected.
The following list forms part of Legal Notice L.N.322 of 2013. Under schedule VI the following species are totally protected:
Sphyrna lewini - Scalloped Hammerhead
Sphyrna mokarran - Great Hammerhead
Sphyrna zygaena - Common Hammerhead
Galeorhinus galeus - Tope Shark
Carcharodon carcharias - Great White Shark
Isurus oxyrinchus - Shortfin Mako Shark
Lamna nasus - Porbeagle Shark
Carcharias taurus - Sandtiger Shark
Odontaspis ferox - Small Tooth Sandtiger Shark
Oxynotus centrina - Angular Rough Shark
Cetorhinus maximus - Basking Shark
Squatina aculeata - Saw-backed Angel Shark
Squatina oculata - Smooth back Angel Shark
Squatina squatina - Angel Shark
Mobula mobular - Devil Ray
Gymnura altavela - Butterfly Ray
Dipturus batis - Blue Grey Skate
Leucoraja melitensis - Maltese Brown Ray
Rostroraja alba - White Skate
Also another 12 Shark species are listed under schedule VIII which are species whose taking and exploitation may be subject to management measures. These are;
Alopias vulpinus - Thresher Shark
Carcharhinus brevipinna - Spinner Shark
Carcharhinus limbatus - Blacktip Shark
Carcharhinus plumbeus - Sandbar Shark
Prionace glauca - Blue Shark
Mustelus asterias - Starry Smooth-hound Shark
Mustelus mustelus - Common Smooth-hound Shark
Mustelus punctulatus - Blackspotted Smooth-hound Shark
Heptranchias perlo - Sharpnose Sevengill Shark
Hexanchus griseus - Bluntnose Sixgill Shark
Centrophorus granulosus - Gulper Shark
Squalus acanthias - Spur dogfish, Spiny dogfish
It has been a long hard road to get up to here, and my thanks goes out to all those that were involved and helped along the way.
