Cuba launched a long-term plan to protect shark populations around its shores. The plan will create protected fishing areas and will require fishers to keep track of and limit their shark catches. Cuba worked on this plan with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). This plan comes at a time when shark populations have been declining rapidly due to accidental catches, overfishing, and demand for shark fins. Cuba has already banned shark fishing just for fins. Cuban waters host close to 20% of the world’s 500 species of sharks. These sharks are sustained largely due to relatively healthy coral reefs. EDF explained that this type of commitment to shark conservation can aid ecotourism, especially in countries such as Cuba where marine resources are an important asset. Cuba plans to continue to advance shark conservation regionally. For the full story, see http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-34600091.