Palau bans shark-fishing.

“These creatures are being slaughtered and are perhaps at the brink of extinction unless we take positive action to protect them,” said President Toribiong. “Their physical beauty and strength, in my opinion, reflects the health of the oceans; they stand out,” he told BBC News from UN headquarters in New York.

It’s a small country, but one with a strong reputation in environmental matters, and its decision may have some influence.