A rise in global demand for shark and ray meat is driving many species to extinction with Australia one of the few safe havens for the marine creatures.
James Cook University (JCU) fisheries researcher Ana Barbosa Martins said the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) annual report on the global status of sharks, rays, and chimaeras, which are similar to sharks, showed overfishing was a growing risk to the species.
Dr Martins said the report found the global demand for shark and ray meat had nearly doubled over the past 20 years.
“The value of this product is now 1.7 times the value of the shark fin trade. The trade has also diversified and products such as ray gill plates, liver oil and skins are now valued,” she said.
Dr Martins said overfishing remained the main driver of population declines.
“Previous assessments already indicated that one third of sharks, rays and chimaeras globally are threatened with extinction.”
She said the 2000-plus page report was developed by more than 400 specialists, including 16 JCU associates, across 158 countries, encompassing the most up to date information for this threatened group.
Dr Andrew Chin, Director of the Fish and Fisheries Lab at JCU, said Australia was currently bucking the trend through more comprehensive management of fisheries.
“This is an important contribution to global conservation of sharks, rays, and chimaeras as one quarter of the world’s species are found in Australia,” said Dr Chin.
Read the report: The global status of sharks, rays, and chimaeras.
