Shark sanctuaries created

French Polynesia has banned shark fishing over an area of 1.5 million square miles, covering more than 100 islands in five large archipelagos, including Tahiti.

Meanwhile the Cook Islands has announced a similar ban covering 756,000 square miles.

French Polynesia ran a moratorium on shark fishing from 2006, with an exemption allowing takes of mako sharks.

Shark finning in the region increased markedly from the late 1990s, in response to demand from Asia.