Bad News for Jaws: 32 Percent of Sharks At Risk of Extinction
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Shark Specialist Group (SSG), found that one third of sharks are at risk for extinction. The group analyzed 64 known species of open ocean (pelagic) sharks and rays and found that globally, 32 percent or 20 species, are considered Threatened, which includes Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. The threat is even higher, 52 percent, for the 21 species regularly caught in high seas fisheries.
- » See also: Great Lakes Ecosystems May be Compromised by… Carp?
- » Get EcoWorldly by RSS or sign up by email.
Threats to Sharks
Overfishing is the leading threat to sharks. After a long gestation period, shark species have very few young and take many years to mature.
Shark meat and fins are often considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. Shark finning, a multi-billion dollar industry, is a brutal practice used to cut the fins off of live sharks. Once the fins are removed, the shark is then discarded back into the sea, ensuring a slow and painful death by starvation, drowning or being eaten by other fish. Millions of sharks die each year due to this practice. Although finning is banned in most international waters, enforcement is difficult.
Shark Specialist Group Findings:
Endangered: 6 percent
- Great Hammerhead
- Giant Devil Ray
- Ornate Eagle Ray
- Scalloped Hammerhead
Globally Vulnerable to Extinction: 16 species
- Great White
- Smooth Hammerhead
- Basking
- Oceanic Whitetip
- Two species of Makos
- Three species of Threshers
Near Threatened: 15 species
- 24 percent are considered Near Threatened, including the crocodile, bull, and tiger shark. Also considered Near Threatened is the Blue
Shark, the most frequently caught shark.
Least Concern:
- 12 species, or 19 percent, are considered “least concern.”
Data Deficient:
- 25 percent are considered “data deficient.”
Shark Specialist Group:
The SSG, established in 1991, includes members from all over the world who are involved in marine conservation, research, management and policy development and implementation of chondrichthyan fish.
Dedicated experts from various agencies, organizations and universities around the world took part in the study. The group is urging governments to take action by recommending a variety of measures including strengthening bans on finning, improving the monitoring of fisheries, implementing catch limits, requiring collection of data and promoting research.
For more information on the study, read The Conservation Status of Pelagic Sharks and Rays: Report of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group Pelagic Shark Red List Workshop.
Great White photo by Terry Goss via Creative Commons license.
Hammerhead photo by Suneko via Creative Commons license.
Blue shark photo by Shane Anderson via Public Domain.
Hopefully, the general public will get behind the shark conservation movement before some of these amazing animals are completely decimated from the oceans.
Great article. I’m a avid diver and I love sharks. I have swam with a few small species. It also throws out of whack the whole food chain within the oceans. I hope things turn around.
We can make a differance by pointing out the finning crisis when eating at a Chinese Restaurant with “shark fin soup” on the menu. They will eventually either stop serving it, or at the very least, stop listinf it on the menu.