New assessments by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released this month show 316 chondrichthyan species – sharks, rays and skates, and chimaeras – are now threatened with extinction.
The “Red List” updates include over 420 assessments of shark and ray species, of which 154 species are classified as “threatened,” or at risk of extinction in the wild. Among them are four hammerhead shark species (Sphyrna family) and four species of angel shark (Squatina family) that are endangered or critically endangered, making them some of the most threatened shark families, as well as the giant manta ray (Mobula birostris), which is now facing a very high risk of extinction.
According to Dr. Andy Cornish from the World Wildlife Fund for Nature:
“These findings are sadly predictable. As IUCN’s Shark Specialist Group continues to pull the curtain back on the state of sharks and rays, the crisis should be triggering alarm bells for anyone who cares about the health of our ocean. Twenty years have passed since the international community recognized the threat of overfishing through the International Plan of Action for Sharks. Yet, obviously, not nearly enough has been done to halt the overfishing that is pushing these animals to the brink of extinction.”
Of around 200 previously data deficient species, meaning the available information was not sufficient to evaluate their conservation status, 57 are now threatened. Together with the case of the lost shark, WWF says this reveals an alarming trend when newly described species or those we do not know enough about are already in peril. This highlights the importance of species-specific information – particularly species-specific shark and ray fishing data – to allow for effective conservation.
Since the last global “Red List” update for sharks and rays was conducted in 2014, these marine fishes are fast becoming one of the most threatened groups of vertebrates on the planet.
Cornish said:
“Governments must take measures that reduce the overfishing of sharks and rays as a matter of urgency. We also desperately need to scale up efforts to recover populations of the most threatened species. Failure to do so will inevitably result in a wave of extinctions happening on our watch. We must seize the moment to stop that from happening.”
WWF emphasizes that we already have the solutions required in most cases:
“Management strategies effective in recovering populations are typically a combination of well-enforced catch limits or prohibitions on catching the species, together with protection of critical habitats. A nice example is the Barndoor skate (Dipturus laevis) which has recovered sufficiently to no longer be threatened with extinction.”
For more info, check out the WWF website.
