This video is called Stop shark finning.
From Wildlife Extra:
Shark fisheries globally unsustainable: Researchers estimate 100 million sharks die every year
March 2013. The world’s shark populations are experiencing significant declines with perhaps 100 million – or more – sharks being lost every year, according to a study published this week in Marine Policy.
“Sharks have persisted for at least 400 million years and are one of the oldest vertebrate groups on the planet. However, these predators are experiencing population declines significant enough to cause global concern”, explains lead author Boris Worm, professor of biology at Dalhousie.
In the recently published paper, “Global Catches, Exploitation Rates and Rebuilding Options for Sharks,” Worm and three other researchers from Dalhousie University teamed up with scientists from the University of Windsor in Canada, as well as Stony Brook University in New York, Florida International University (FIU) in Miami and the University of Miami, to calculate total shark mortality and outline possible solutions to protect the world’s shark populations.
Untold consequences
“This is a big concern because the loss of sharks can affect the wider ecosystem,” said Mike Heithaus, executive director of FIU’s School of Environment, Arts and Society and co-author of the paper. “In working with tiger sharks, we’ve seen that if we don’t have enough of these predators around, it causes cascading changes in the ecosystem, that trickle all the way down to marine plants.” Such changes can harm other species, and may negatively affect commercial fisheries, Heithaus explains.
Based on data collected for the latest study, shark deaths were estimated at 100 million in 2000 and 97 million in 2010. The total possible range of mortality is between 63 and 273 million annually.
Shark fin
The biggest culprit in the significant population decline is a combination of a global boom in shark fishing – usually for their valuable fins – and the relatively slow growth and reproductive rates of sharks. Because adequate data of shark catches is lacking for most of the world, the wide range of possible mortality is based on available data of shark deaths and calculated projections for unreported, discarded and illegal catches. But even with the uncertainty there is little question that sharks are being caught faster than they can reproduce.
“Sharks are similar to whales, and humans, in that they mature late in life and have few offspring’ said Boris Worm. “As such, they cannot sustain much additional mortality. Our analysis shows that about one in 15 sharks gets killed by fisheries every year. With an increasing demand for their fins, sharks are more vulnerable today than ever before.”
Limited protection
While some sharks are receiving protection through national and international agreements, the team of researchers suggests legislation should be expanded to a greater number of species. Imposing a tax on the export and import of shark fins could also help curb demand and generate income for domestic shark fisheries management, according to the study.
“The findings are alarming, but there is hope. Existing regulations are a great start but we must ensure they are adequately enforced,” said Samuel Gruber of the University of Miami. “In addition, more nations must invest in sustainable shark fisheries management. This means introducing catch limits, trade regulation and other protective measures for the most vulnerable species and those that move across international boundaries.”
The key message in this research is sustainability. Because of the role sharks play in the sustainability of marine ecosystems, the researchers insist that protective measures must be scaled up significantly to avoid further depletion and possible extinction of some of the world’s top predators.
The information from this report comes at a critical time, as 177 governments from around the world will attend the March 3-14 meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Bangkok. CITES is widely considered one of the best tools for protecting vulnerable species from extinction. Hammerheads, Oceanic whitetip, and porbeagle sharks are currently being considered for protection under CITES.
Related articles
- Shark fisheries globally unsustainable: 100 million sharks die every year (sciencedaily.com)
- 100 million sharks killed every year! (sott.net)
- Sharks May Go Extinct Within The Next Few Decades, 100 Million Sharks Killed Every Year (planetsave.com)
- For Soup? End The Brutal Practice of Shark Finning (sunsetdaily.wordpress.com)
- Pity for a predator: 100 million sharks die each year, conservationists say (science.nbcnews.com)
- Sharks at risk of extinction from overfishing, say scientists (guardian.co.uk)
- Bahamas whitetip sharks new research (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
Reblogged this on bearspawprint.
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all those poor crittors, while I dont approve of this cruelty I do have to question the numbers they calculate are taken every year, there is no way to know this, if 100 million sharks are killed every year then there should be no more sharks anymore, since this has been going on for decades, there is no way for them to iknow how much fish are taken except for the few fiseries that are monitered by the authorities, if most of the fins end up in china then this shows me that chinese and(japense too)? are raised in a callous and unkind manner, hence no compassion for their fellow man let alone the poor crittors. this is the fruitage of anti god propaganda. sad.
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Hi roberta4949, I don’t see any connection between religion and shark finning. Yes, there used to be billions of sharks in the world’s big oceans, that is why a minority of that number is still alive. Shark fishing ships land in harbours, where they are usually monitored. There are biological methods to make estimates.
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There will be consequences! Thank you for this excellent post!
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You are welcome Rebecca, like always 🙂
I hope this news will help to save sharks.
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I do too…
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Reblogged this on A&E: Art and the Environment.
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Thank you for reblogging!
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Absolutely! It went right along with our past exhibit we had at the G2 Gallery, “State of the Sharks.”
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Fortunately, people in many countries are working for the sharks.
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They started it!
Signed, stumpy
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Reblogged this on Endless Light and Love and commented:
This re-blog follows on to my blog post from yesterday. Another tragedy and pointless act because of customs that are way out of date…The sadness is the taste of Shark’s Fin if tasteless, it has so many additions to make it taste good and it has also been proven that there are NO benefits to the health. The only benefit is the huge profits in its trade!
Madness beyond belief!
Namaste
Mark
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Thanks for reblogging Mark!
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Happy too, it’s my duty to help stop this!
Namaste
Mark
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🙂
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Its a tragedy that we humans kill everything and we are destroying not only our various Species upon this planet but their habitats and Eco systems ………..We are also destroying our very environment that sustains all life.. Our Mother Earth…
I dropped on by from Inspiringyourspirit Blog.. Thank you and may you continue to support Mother Earth and her creatures
love and Light
Sue
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Thank you for your comment, Sue!
I will try to keep the level of this blog up.
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