PRESS RELEASE – for immediate use

17 January 2003

Shark Trust Calls for Global ban on Shark Finning

Publication today of a damning report on the collapse of the shark population in the North west Atlantic (Baum  2003)[1], has brought peoples attentions to the stark reality of the plight of sharks in waters closer to home.

Baum’s report shows declines of up to 90% in the catch rate for certain shark species, such as the Hammerhead and White Shark. These statistics are unfortunately mirrored in the North east Atlantic, for example European commercial catches of Porbeagles are now 0.5% of what they were 30 years ago, and species such as the Common Skate, which at one time accounted for nearly 30% (by weight) of the fish landed at Bristol, are now locally extinct in the very same region.

Sarah Fowler, Trustee of the Shark Trust and Co-chair of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group said 'This report confirms our long-held fears: that over fishing is not only driving large coastal sharks towards extinction, but also depleting oceanic shark stocks; vital species for maintaining the stability of marine ecosystems.

It highlights the urgency of obtaining a total world-wide ban on the practice of finning, which is causing the deaths of millions of sharks every year.'

The impact of over fishing on shark population is exacerbated by their reproductive strategy.  Sharks can take many years to reach sexual maturity; have long gestation periods; and give birth to few young. The natural rate of increase of a shark population is just 1-4% per year, in comparison to the 30-40% increase displayed by bony fish. Spiny Dogfish for example have a 22 month gestation period and give birth to 20 live young. Landings of Spiny Dog fish have shown an alarming decline - 35,000 a day were landed in Plymouth in the 1940s, to land 20 is now considered ‘good’. 

Many shark species are highly migratory, and as such spend time in waters where they are afforded no legislative protection. Basking sharks migrate throughout the year, leaving the relative haven of our coastal waters, entering international waters where they are more vulnerable to unscrupulous fishing practices, encouraged by the high prices offered by fin traders. A single basking shark fin can fetch up to $15,000 on the Hong Kong market. Other species such as Blue shark are highly migratory, and readily cross the Atlantic - in the North west Atlantic a 60% decline in Blue shark has been observed, and in the North east Atlantic significant numbers of Blue sharks are caught as by-catch from the long-line fisheries, mounds of Blue shark carcasses are a regular sight in the fish markets of Northwest Spain. Elasmobranchs are non-quota species and with the decline in traditional commercial fish stocks they are coming under increased pressure as an alternative catch - at what stage does a species stop being classed as by-catch?

It is clear that shark numbers are decreasing at an alarming rate, and on a global scale. If we are to halt this dramatic decline action must be taken on a global scale.  The Shark Trust is campaigning for a global ban on shark finning and asks you to support this campaign by signing an online petition found at www.sharktrust.org.

Last year 100 million sharks were caught and killed.

The Shark Trust is the UK’s only registered wildlife charity which is dedicated to promoting the study, management and conservation of sharks skates and rays worldwide.  For more information see The Shark Trust Online at www.sharktrust.org.  Trust supporter subscriptions are £20 per year.  

For further information read the Science article detailed below and visit the Shark Trust's website.

 ____________________________________________________________

 [1] Julia K. Baum,* Ransom A. Myers, Daniel G. Kehler, Boris Worm, Shelton J. Harley, Penny A. Doherty. (2003) Collapse and Conservation of Shark Populations in the Northwest Atlantic. Science. Vol. 299 pp.389-392.

 ___________________________________________________________________________