Fears for the shark

Quoted from UK Divernet

SHARK POPULATIONS DECIMATED BY OVER-FISHING

"Researchers from Dalhousie University have found evidence that the number of certain shark species has dramatically reduced in the past 15 years - in the case of hammerheads by up to 90%

The study examined the numbers of sharks logged as caught in fishing fleet logbooks from 1986 to 2000. The only species of shark not suffering a 50%-plus decline in numbers was the mako.

Most at risk appear to be hammerheads, down 90%; great whites and thresher sharks, down 80%; and tiger sharks, down 65%

The findings are reported in the journal Science and decline has been attributed to intense fishing, particularly for tuna and swordfish. The larger species of shark are particularly badly hit because they take a long time to mature and produce relatively few young. Hammerheads tend to congregate in the same areas as tuna and swordfish so are frequently snared on longlines.

Proposals to prevent the extinction of certain shark species include banning fishing during periods of shark migration, and setting aside marine reserves where no fishing can take place".

This is extremely worrying, but WHO is to blame the fishermen or the governments who legislate?

I trust this will invoke many views!

Mark

I confronted the Seychelles Government with figures like this in an attempt to stop shark fishing there. Thankfully they announced in October (2 years on) that this was now the case and all shark fishing is banned.

One big minus though they cannot enforce this too well and the Chinese will continue to take the piss offshore.

I took pictures in March 2001 of a chinese boat offloading around 1000 mixed specie fins and gave them to the MOE - Because the government are under the thumb financially of the chinese nothing was heard about it from them, and no statement from the Chinese envoy I plague regularly. Then much to everyones surprise this massive shot in the arm for the incredible shark life of Seychelles... Lets hope not just on paper.

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