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Finning protection for five shark species
Cites vote to save various sea creatures

Five shark species have gained protection against finning, following "landmark" decisions made at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) summit.

Strictly controlled permits will now be needed to export fins of the oceanic whitecap, porbeagle and scalloped, great and smooth hammerhead sharks.

Greater protection was also given to the manta ray and all species of freshwater sawfish.

The votes came despite opposition from Japan and China, where shark-fin soup is considered a delicacy and is traditionally served at weddings. However the EU, US and Brazil were among those calling for protection.

Sharks are extremely vulnerable to overfishing, as well as being slow to mature and having few offspring. In particular, the oceanic whitecap population fell by 93 per cent between 1995 and 2010.

Fishing of the porbeagle was halted in the EU in 2010, due to the species' small numbers, but missed out on protection by one vote during the 2010 Cites summit.

Scalloped hammerheads are killed in their millions each year, with the two other species being protected to prevent their very similar fins being targeted instead.

Various wildlife conservationists have expressed their delight at the decision, described as a "landmark moment" by the head of the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) Cites delegation, Carlos Drews.

Elizabeth Wilson, manager of the global shark campaign Pew, said: "We are thrilled that the tide is now turning for shark conservation, with governments listening to the science and acting in the interests of sustainability.

"With these new protections, they will have the chance to recover and once again fulfil their role as top predators."

Cites is the world's biggest wildlife summit, in which 178 nations attend to improve the future of endangered species.

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RUMA CA&E extends survey deadline

News Story 1
 RUMA CA&E has extended the deadline for its online survey into vaccine availability.

Vets, SQPs, retailers and wholesalers will now have until Friday, 26 September at 5pm to submit their response.

The survey aims to further understanding into the vaccine supply challenges faced by the sector. It will also consider the short and long term impacts of disruption issues.

Insights are anonymous, and will be shared with industry stakeholders and government bodies.

The survey can be accessed here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA publishes Guide to Nutrition in Small Animal Practice

The BSAVA has added a small animal nutrition advice booklet to its series of BSAVA guides.

The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition in Small Animal Practice offers a resource for veterinary professionals to provide appropriate nutrition for animals. As well as maintaining the wellbeing of healthy pets, the guide explores how nutritional requirements change in times of illness and disease.

The guide is divided into five sections, which explore the importance of nutritional assessment; diet types; feeding at different life stages; feeding for specific situations; and feeding for specific diseases. Online resources are also in the BSAVA Library including client handouts and videos.

It is designed to be suitable for referencing, in-depth case planning and team training sessions.

The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition in Small Animal Practice can be purchased online from the BSAVA store.