“Take action”: people kill 80 million sharks a year (7 photos)

Data in recent years have shown that the number of deaths from shark fishing has increased from 76 to 80 million per year. They are mainly killed for their fins. Researchers say sharks are in danger - and it's time to take action.





In a study published Jan. 11 in the journal Science, scientists analyzed data from 2012 to 2019 from 150 countries and found that shark fishing deaths increased from 76 million in 2012 to more than 80 million. At the same time, during this period various laws were actively adopted to protect sharks. Of these deaths, 25 million, or more than 30%, were of endangered species. Sharks are most often hunted for their fins, but many are accidentally killed as bycatch. According to scientists, fishing now poses a huge threat to sharks.

"This is a serious problem because one in three shark species is threatened with extinction," says lead study author Boris Worm, a marine ecologist at Dalhousie University in Canada.



According to the study, shark mortality in coastal fisheries increased by 4%. Despite measures to protect shark fins, many fishermen use barbaric methods: for example, they catch a shark, cut off its fins, and throw it back into the sea. In such cases, the shark is doomed to death. The increase in the number of sharks killed is associated with an increase in the cost of shark meat. A WWF report for the same period (2012-2019) estimates the global trade in shark and ray meat to be worth approximately $2.6 billion. The market was previously valued at $157 million in 2000 and grew to $379.8 million in 2011.



Scientists are calling for new laws to protect sharks and regulate fishing - not just to limit the harvesting of their fins. Measures such as a ban on shark fishing, catch restrictions, protection of critical areas, and partly, we, the people, can help:

“People can also save shark numbers if they are more careful about their actions: for example, do not buy souvenirs made from shark teeth, do not eat shark meat, and do not use cosmetics that contain squalene obtained from sharks. This is a solvable problem. But it can be solved We need it now, because sharks don’t have much time left,” says ecologist Boris Worm.