'Historic' Day For Shark Protection
Three types of critically endangered but commercially valuable shark have been given added protection at the Cites meeting in Bangkok.
The body, which regulates trade in flora and fauna, voted by a two-thirds majority to upgrade the sharks' status.
Campaigners hailed the move as historic and said the vote represented a major breakthrough for marine conservation.
The decisions can still be overturned by a vote on the final day of this meeting later this week.
The oceanic white-tip, three varieties of hammerheads and the porbeagle are all said to be seriously threatened by overfishing.
Their numbers have declined dramatically in recent years, as the trade in shark fins for soup has grown.
Manta rays are killed for their gill plates which are used in Chinese medicine.
Shark supporters have been attempting to get Cites to protect these species since 1994. But there has long been strong opposition to the move from China and Japan.
But a number of factors have changed the arithmetic.
Experts say the critical factor has been a shift in South American nations, who've come to understand that sharks are more valuable alive than dead.
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