Exotic sharks facing critical risk of extinction
Some of the world’s rarest sharks are at serious risk of extinction because of overfishing, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has warned in its most comprehensive study of the creatures to date.
More than 30 percent of 64 species of shark and ray included in the study have been given critical “Red List” status, including two species of hammerhead shark, Another 24 percent are “near threatened,” according to the IUCN Shark Specialist Group.
The survey is the first time the IUCN has applied its Red List criteria to the classify open ocean animals, according to a report on the BBC.
Sharks are considered especially vulnerable to the practice of “finning” — when the body of a fish is discarded after being stripped of its fins, which are used in traditional remedies in Asia.
Hammerhards, which have high quality fins but low quality meat are considered particularly at risk. “Finning” is illegal in most parts of the world, but the ban is rarely enforced, according to the IUCN report.
While sharks are sometimes caught in fishing nets by accident, they are being increasingly targeted because of demand for their meat, teeth and liver oil in Asia.
Overfishing can also have devastating impact on shark populations because the fish reproduce relatively infrequently and it takes several years for young sharks to reach maturity,
“Despite mounting threats, sharks remain virtually unprotected on the high seas,” said Sonja Fordham, deputy chair of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group.
“[We have] documented serious overfishing of these species, in national and international waters. This demonstrates a clear need for immediate action on a global scale.”
By the end of the year the Shark Specialist Group hopes to publish its full report on all 400 species of shark and related rays and skates.
[...] Exotic sharks facing critical risk of extinction | Zoogle News [...]