| Bad News for Jaws, 32 Percent of Sharks At Risk of Extinction | |
|
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 Globally Vulnerable to Extinction: 16 species Great White 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. 12 species, or 19 percent, are considered “least concern.” 25 percent are considered “data deficient.” 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. Source: GO Media - Written by Jace Shoemaker-Galloway - Great White photo by Terry Goss via Creative Commons license.
Bookmark
Email this
Hits: 378 Comments
(0)
|
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.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/hide comments
