Millions of sharks are killed every year, threatening to push some species to extinction, a new study revealed on Friday (March 1).
According to scientific findings released in the peer-reviewed journal Marine Policy, the number of sharks killed each year in commercial fisheries is estimated at 100 million, with a range between 63 million and 273 million.
The authors warn that the rate of fishing for shark species, many of which grow slowly and reproduce late in life, exceeds their ability to recover.
"Biologically, sharks simply can't keep up with the current rate of exploitation and demand," said Boris Worm , a marine biologist at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and lead author of the study.
"Protective measures must be scaled up significantly in order to avoid further depletion and the possible extinction of many shark species," Worm explained.
The estimates in the study calculated by adding landed catch data reported to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to estimates of unreported landings, finned sharks, and other discards of dead sharks, comes at a critical time.
More than 175 governments convene this week (March 3-14) in Bangkok at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to consider shark protections under a treaty concerned with regulating international wildlife trade.
The Pew Charitable Trusts is calling for immediate action to increase safeguards for some of the most vulnerable species.
"This groundbreaking study confirms that people are killing an enormous number of sharks," said Elizabeth Wilson , manager of global shark conservation at Pew.
"We are now the predators. Humans have mounted an unrelenting assault on sharks, and their numbers are crashing throughout the world's oceans," Wilson added.
The catch of sharks in commercial fisheries for their fins, meat, liver oil, cartilage, and other parts remains largely unregulated in most of the world, driving some populations toward extinction.
More than 300 sharks were recently found dead wrapped up in an illegal net off the South Texas coast back in December.
CITES, which was agreed to in Washington, DC, in 1973, offers protection to more than 30,000 animal and plant species around the globe.
It has been instrumental in preventing their extinction and is generally recognized as one of the most effective and best-enforced international conservation agreements.
Get more interesting environment and science and space news. Also, follow along with the thousands of others for periodic weather updates, news and notes on Twitter.
Comments