Sharks are in serious trouble and it is primarily due to overfishing. The Conservation Status of Northeast Atlantic Chondrichthyans report, compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Shark Specialist Group, reveals that shark, ray and chimaera species are much more threatened in the northeast Atlantic than they are globally.
Specifically, 7% of species in the northeast Atlantic are classified as Critically Endangered, 7% as Endangered, and 12% as Vulnerable, all primarily due to overfishing. More than 26% are threatened in the Northeast Atlantic, compared with 18% globally. Over-exploitation, from targeted fisheries as well as incidental take (or “bycatch”) is the primary cause of declines in northeast Atlantic sharks, rays and chimaeras.
Sharks are an important part of the ocean ecosystem. Most sharks play key roles as top predators in marine food webs. By feeding on the weak and wounded of prey species, sharks help maintain the ocean ecosystem balance.
“From angel sharks to devil rays, northeast Atlantic populations of these vulnerable species are in serious trouble, more so than in many other parts of the world,” says Claudine Gibson, former Programme Officer for the IUCN SSG and lead author of the report. “Most sharks and rays are exceptionally vulnerable to overfishing because of their tendency to grow slowly, mature late, and produce few young. Those at greatest risk of extinction in the northeast Atlantic include heavily fished, large sharks and rays, like porbeagle and common skate, as well as commercially valuable deepwater sharks and spiny dogfish.”
The European Union (EU) has provided species-specific fishing limits for only four of the region’s 116 sharks, rays and chimaeras. Basking and great white sharks are legally protected in the EU. Catch limits for spiny dogfish and porbeagle sharks exist, but are regularly set in excess of scientific advice.
There are broad EU limits on multiple species of skates and rays, as well as deepwater sharks, but these are also not yet in line with scientists’ recommendations. The UK and Sweden are the only northeast Atlantic countries to provide full national protection for certain shark and ray species. Beyond some agreements between the EU and Norway, there are no international catch limits for northeast Atlantic sharks, rays and chimaeras.
These are wild creatures of a majestic beauty, let’s not have them be confined solely to the history books. Make sure you contact your member of parliament, especially in the European Union, and ask that they endorse a much more restricted catch, or better still, a moratorium on any shark, ray and chimaera catches.
Resources
Shark Alliance: www.sharkalliance.org
IUCN: www.iucnredlist.org
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: www.iucnredlist.org
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