Some species of sharks are disappearing at speeds 10 to 100
times greater than any extinction rate in the history books. Recently, 21 shark
and ray species were studied to determine if they are indeed threatened. Now
that the results are in, experts have determined that, according to Biology-blog.com,
16 of the 21 species being "caught in high seas fisheries are at heightened
risk of extinction due primarily to targeted fishing for valuable fins and
meat".
For a majority of these shark species, the main reason for the
decline is unregulated fishing, which is caused mainly by an increased demand
for shark-fin soup in Asia. The types of
sharks affected include tiger, bull, and scalloped hammerhead. The scalloped
hammerhead shark will be on the 2008 World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List because of over-fishing. The
great hammerhead shark was placed on the list last year; its numbers in the
eastern Atlantic Ocean have declined by 80% in
the past 25 years.
Google and Government
Web sites abound from a Google search on the phrase "shark
fishing". There are 916,000 results to be exact, and plenty of grisly
images, too. Shark fishing is legal in Florida
and incidental shark fishing (non-specific targeting) is legal most everywhere
else. Nevertheless, there are many illegal shark-hunting businesses that either
promise customers a thrilling day at sea, or just want to make money from an
illicit catch.
In response, the United States Congress may increase shark
protection via the Shark Conservation Act of 2008 (H.R. 5741). The proposed
legislation would make it illegal to remove the fins of a shark at sea, a ban designed
to deter "finning" – the practice of cutting off a shark's fins and leaving the
body in the water. Taking just the fins is easier for fisherman because they don't
have to store the sharks and can take much larger quantities of their "cargo". Under
the proposed legislation, vessels could no longer transport such fins either, making
it more difficult for only a shark's fins to arrive at their destination.
If the proposed legislation becomes law, it will take some
time before the Shark Conservation Act of 2008 stops the practice of poachers. It
will also take time for the sharks to repopulate since they have relatively few
offspring after reaching maturity. Apart from over-fishing and their accidental
by-catch by humans, sharks have no natural predators unless they're sick or
injured. If the shark population is allowed to recover, however, the many
species of this ocean predator may be able to regain their normal numbers.
Resources:
http://www.biology-blog.com/blogs/permalinks/5-2008/over-50-percent-of-oceanic-shark-species.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN1560772220080217
http://www.hsus.org/hsi/oceans/sharks/sharks_out_of_soup_61108.html
http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=38
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/shark7.htm
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-5741
http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/wp-content/uploads/shark-fin.jpg (photo)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark (photo)
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Re: Shark Attack: The Demise of a Deep Sea Predator
