International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has conducted first study to determine the global status of oceanic pelagic sharks and rays. The study comes out with shocking result that some of the species are in great danger and has come to the brink of collapse. On International Biodiversity Day the IUCN has presented the study in public which shows serious over-fishing is the main reason and recommends key steps that government can take to safeguard the sharks and rays.
The study was organized by the IUCN Shark Specialist Group (SSG) and was 15 scientists from 13 different research institutes around the world, with additional contributions from scores of other SSG members. According to the experts the sharks and rays, including the Thresher shark (Alopias vulpinus), the Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) and the Shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) are at risk of extinction due to targeted fishing for valuable fins and meat, as well as indirect by-catch in other fisheries.
Sonja Fordham, co-author of the paper and Deputy Chair of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group (SSG), told that the traditional view of oceanic sharks and rays as fast and powerful too often leads to a misperception that they are resilient to fishing pressure. Fordham said that despite mounting evidence of decline and increasing threats to these species, there are no international catch limits for oceanic sharks. He added that the research shows that action is urgently needed on a global level if these fisheries are to be sustainable.
It is fact that sharks and rays are particularly vulnerable to over-fishing due to their tendency to take many years to become sexually mature and have relatively few offspring. Lead author Nicholas Dulvy, who is based at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, informed that fishery managers and regional, national and international officials have a real obligation to improve this situation.
