Download End of the line? Global threats to sharks

By:
Kerri Lynn Miller
Sharks in Decline
Vulnerable to overexploitation and slow to
recover
 “Functionally eliminated”
 Some shark species may be in the first
round of human caused marine extinctions.

Myers, et al. (2007)
2
Shark Products
Meat
 Fins
 Liver Oil
 Skin
 Cartilage
 Teeth

©Shelley Clarke
3
Threats to Sharks
Shark Finning
 Bycatch
 Squalene
 Lack of Management
 Illegal Fishing

4
Shark Finning





26-73 million
sharks annually
Wasteful practice
Impedes data
collection
Leads to criminal
activity
Tasteless product
5
©Justin Ebert
Bycatch




10’s of millions of sharks annually
Few fisheries don’t have bycatch
More than targeted catch
Bycatch is now finned
6
©Rob Stewart/Sharkwater
Sharks are a source of:
Protein
 Spirit
 Tourism
 Ecosystem health

© Rob Stewart/Sharkwater
7
Importance to the
Ecosystem



Regulate and
maintain the
balance of species
Control spatial
distribution
Influence the health
of marine habitats
© Rob Stewart/Sharkwater
8
Oceana’s Role in Protecting
Sharks

Squalene campaign
Vermont Country Store
 Cosmetic companies


Policy
Landing sharks whole
 Finning trade ban

9
Where We Need to Go

Species specific
data and
management

ie. Global Shark
Assessment
www.globalshark.ca

© Rob Stewart/Sharkwater

Land sharks
whole
International ban
10
5 Things You Can Do
Sign the petition: Tell Congress to help
protect sharks.
 Help correct people’s misconceptions about
sharks.
 Don’t buy cosmetic products with shark
squalene.
 Don’t eat shark fin soup.
 Become a Wavemaker.

Please Visit: www.Oceana.org/sharks
11
© Rob Stewart/Sharkwater
Questions?
©Linda Pitkin
12