Highlights for Thursday, 13 December

Plenary reconvened on Thursday morning. CMS Executive Secretary Robert Hepworth reported on the findings of the anonymous questionnaire that had been circulated to inventory ideas and preferences regarding a future instrument. The regional groups reported on their deliberations, and the two Working Groups constituted on Wednesday reported on their work on: a mechanism for engagement, and membership and institutional structure; and priority issues to be addressed by a future instrument, respectively. The Plenary then finalized discussions on these issues.

Delegates then considered and agreed to the two final outcome documents: a general statement on the purpose and process of the meeting, and a statement on the outcomes of the meeting.

The closing Plenary heard statements from the US, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Costa Rica and Seychelles. CMS Executive Secretary Hepworth congratulated delegates on progress made and reaffirmed the commitment of the CMS Secretariat to the process of developing an instrument on sharks. Meeting Chair Rolph Payet (Seychelles) expressed hope that the follow-up meeting in 2008 will allow the negotiation of a successful global agreement. He closed the meeting at 1:15 pm.