Recent reports are claiming that our oceans sharks are in grave danger of becoming extinct.
Statistics are claiming that there has been a total decrease of 50% of all species over the last 30 years. The decline is being blamed upon fishing and it has been estimated that around 100 million sharks are killed every year for this. This is mainly due to an increase in demand for shark meat, especially fin, but many also die due to being the product of by-catch. Shark fins are considered a delicacy, reaching up to as much as £150 per kg. Finning is a cruel process and usually means a slow death for the shark. The fins are removed and the fish is replaced back in the water, rendering it helpless and eventually causing death through suffocation or blood loss. Many are now calling for a ban to be placed upon finning.
Julia Baum, a member of the IUCN’s Shark Specialist Group, said that few regulations and catch limits on shark fishing are causing the concern that in few years to come, many species could be facing extinction. Overfishing has already caused the scalloped hammer-head to be placed on the 2008 IUCN Red List as being globally 'endangered' after it is said to have suffered at 95% loss in recent years, along with the tiger, bull and dusky species.
Sonja Fordham, of the Shark Alliance, said that the general public can help by alerting ministers to the sharks' plight and letting them know they support methods to conserve shark populations. It is thought that letters and petitions will soon come into action to try and enforce new government regulations for shark fishing.
Statistics are claiming that there has been a total decrease of 50% of all species over the last 30 years. The decline is being blamed upon fishing and it has been estimated that around 100 million sharks are killed every year for this. This is mainly due to an increase in demand for shark meat, especially fin, but many also die due to being the product of by-catch. Shark fins are considered a delicacy, reaching up to as much as £150 per kg. Finning is a cruel process and usually means a slow death for the shark. The fins are removed and the fish is replaced back in the water, rendering it helpless and eventually causing death through suffocation or blood loss. Many are now calling for a ban to be placed upon finning.
Julia Baum, a member of the IUCN’s Shark Specialist Group, said that few regulations and catch limits on shark fishing are causing the concern that in few years to come, many species could be facing extinction. Overfishing has already caused the scalloped hammer-head to be placed on the 2008 IUCN Red List as being globally 'endangered' after it is said to have suffered at 95% loss in recent years, along with the tiger, bull and dusky species.
Sonja Fordham, of the Shark Alliance, said that the general public can help by alerting ministers to the sharks' plight and letting them know they support methods to conserve shark populations. It is thought that letters and petitions will soon come into action to try and enforce new government regulations for shark fishing.
