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Stop Shark Finning
By treehugga | May 27, 2008
More than half of the world’s ocean-going sharks are at risk of extinction, a new review concludes. Specialists with IUCN (formerly the World Conservation Union) found that 11 species are on the high-risk list, with five more showing signs of decline. Sharks are particularly affected by over-fishing as they reproduce slowly. The scientists are calling for global catch limits, an end to the practice of removing fins, and measures to minimise incidental catches (bycatch).
“There’s this idea that because these are widely ranging species, they’re more resilient to fishing pressure,” said Sonja Fordham, deputy chair of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group (SSG) and policy director for the Shark Alliance conservation group. “In fact they’re becoming species of serious concern because there are no international catch limits for sharks. There are intense fisheries on the oceans, and they remain pretty much unprotected.”
The SSG assessed data on the 21 species of sharks and their close cousins, the rays, that swim in upper portions of the open ocean where they are exposed to fishing fleets. Of the 21, one - the giant devilray - is assessed as Endangered, and 10 are Vulnerable. A further five are listed as Near Threatened, which means the signs of decline are not serious enough yet to merit a full listing.
The classifications are based on a range of criteria that look at past or forecast declines in population size. For example, a population shrinking by 50% in 10 years would usually qualify as Endangered.
Some of these species have been assessed before; but for others, including the three species of thresher sharks with their spectacularly long tails, the dangerlisting is new.
The main threat to sharks is fishing, both accidental and targeted. The three thresher species are newly judged as Vulnerable to extinction “They used to be taken as bycatch by boats targeting tuna and swordfish,” said Ms Fordham. “But now as those species are declining we’re seeing more fishermen targeting sharks.
“Porbeagle and shortfin mako are targeted for fins and meat; species like blue shark are likely to be finned, but particularly in Europe we’re seeing more blue shark being landed.” Several of the bodies that regulate fisheries in international waters - the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) - have set up measures to curb shark finning, but there are different standards in place, a situation that enables fishermen to work around the regulations.
As East Asian economies boom, conservation groups say the market for fins is increasing. “Fishery managers and regional, national and international officials have a real obligation to improve this situation,” commented Nicholas Dulvy from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. “But it doesn’t have to be like this. With sufficient public support and resulting political will, we can turn the tide.”
‘Finning’ refers to the practice of cutting off only the shark fins and discarding the body. Sometimes sharks are dead when they’re pulled into the boats, but often, they’re still alive as their four fins are cut off with a knife. When they’re thrown back into the ocean the sharks either bleed to death, or they drown, because sharks can’t swim without fins, and they need to go forward to get oxygen.
Divers have discovered hundreds of dead finned sharks at the bottom of the ocean in huge shark graveyards.
Fifty percent of sharks are bycatch — they’re accidentally caught by boats that are looking for tuna, swordfish or other fish. Many of the boats don’t want to keep the entire shark, so they just fin them. This greatly increases the amount of sharks killed, because a fishing boat can hold an enormous amount of fins.
Last August, a California ship was apprehended by the Coast Guard and brought into port in San Diego. It was transporting no shark bodies, but 32 tons of shark fins, which represents between 14,000 and 29,000 sharks. Finning has been illegal in U.S. waters since 2000, but regulating this can be difficult.
To find out more and show your support for this disgraceful act please visit www.stopsharkfinning.net
Topics: Animal Welfare |
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