In the last ten years, Interest in the critical situation is growing sharks worldwide, with a subsequent increase in regulatory measures and prohibitions relating to practice ribbing. However, it remains uncertain whether this increased attention has actually translated into actual improvements in shark conservation. A recent study published in Sciencein fact, it suggests that it is necessary intensify efforts to protect these animals, constantly exposed to trapping and killing for the purpose of removing their fins.
Sharks have inhabited Earth’s waters for 400 million years and are still increasing the taste of their finsa prized commodity in Asian markets, has brought several species to the brink extinction. Currently it is 70% of countries and jurisdictions have adopted regulations protection face the practice of “ribbing“sharks, a method that consists in throwing these animals back into the sea after finning them, thus condemning them to death. Although the practice of finning has decreased slightly in the last two decades, policies that force fishermen to land sharks in their entirety have involuntarily stirred up the market for shark meat.
This is according to a new study conducted during three yearsduring which a team of researchers collected prescription data from fishing and on mortality rate sharks. The lead author, Boris Worm, expressed surprise at the “widespread presence shark meat, oil and cartilage in the store and how these animals are used in many products, often without consumer awareness.”
In areas where shark mortality is particularly high, researchers have observed an increase in use gill nets (net walls that extend into the water) and of trawl nets, i.e. heavy nets dragged along the bottom of the ocean. This approach mainly leads to capturing more samples A young and small, a phenomenon related to the decline in the fin trade and the local decline in the abundance of large sharks.
Today, one of the three species of sharks in the world is a risk of extinction and because they are super predators that play a key role in the food chain, their decline is threatens the health of the oceans and the balance of marine ecosystems. According to the researchers, this would be appropriate establish protected areas for these animals where fishing is prohibited.
Indeed, many nations and territories have already taken steps in this direction; However, current risks to coastal sharks appear to be increasing worldwide, a conclusion supported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). “It is essential to accept a a more targeted approach reduce shark mortality”, emphasizes Laurenne Schiller, author of the study. This seems to be a clear conclusion from studies conducted by researchers. Despite the efforts devoted to their protection, the numbers concerning killing from these fish they continue increase. Without immediate action, there is a risk of the complete loss of these fascinating creatures, causing irreversible damage to marine biodiversity.