By: Eden Chipperfield, News Writer
SFU marine diversity and conservation professor Nicholas Dulvy has studied over 500 shark genus types. Through his research and engagement with experts around the globe, 60 species of sharks are at risk of extinction because of overfishing practices.
“As the high seas and coastal waters are becoming depleted in many countries of the world, we’re incentivizing fishers to fish offshore, and it’s become technologically viable to fish up to a kilometre deep,” said Dulvy to SFU News.
Sharks are caught for fisheries to sell their meat and oil, which are valuable in global trade. This has led to the decline of shark populations globally. Their fatty liver is precious for supplements, cosmetics, and even vaccines. According to an eight-year study, “one in seven species of deepwater sharks and rays are threatened with extinction.”
The International Union Conservation of Nature categorizes the extinction category for endangered species. Criteria include the rate of population decline, species in small restricted areas, and geographic range.
Sharks have similar lifespans and lower reproductive rates than other mammals like walruses and whales. Ocean creatures have historically been, and continue to be, hunted and harvested for their oil. These characteristics make sharks extremely sensitive to extinction because of their long life cycles and breeding patterns.
“Some species may take 30 years or more to mature, and possibly up to 150 years in the case of the Greenland Shark, and only produce 12 pups throughout their entire life,” said Dulvy. “Many deepwater sharks and rays can only withstand very small amounts of fishing pressure.”
The study calls for a 30% increase in protecting the world’s oceans before 2030. This would include the deep ocean, where 80% of the threatened species would receive “partial protection across their range.” A fishing probe 800 metres into the sea would cover a vertical refuge for “a third of threatened deepwater sharks and rays.” Fishing 800 metres deep creates a safer area for deep water sharks and rays who are at risk of extinction.
“There’s been great success in regulating the shark fin trade. Now, we need to turn our attention to regulating the international trade in liver oil,” said Dulvy.
SFU marine diversity and conservation professor Nicholas Dulvy has studied over 500 shark genus types. Through his research and engagement with experts around the globe, 60 species of sharks are at risk of extinction because of overfishing practices.
“As the high seas and coastal waters are becoming depleted in many countries of the world, we’re incentivizing fishers to fish offshore, and it’s become technologically viable to fish up to a kilometre deep,” said Dulvy to SFU News.
Sharks are caught for fisheries to sell their meat and oil, which are valuable in global trade. This has led to the decline of shark populations globally. Their fatty liver is precious for supplements, cosmetics, and even vaccines. According to an eight-year study, “one in seven species of deepwater sharks and rays are threatened with extinction.”
The International Union Conservation of Nature categorizes the extinction category for endangered species. Criteria include the rate of population decline, species in small restricted areas, and geographic range.
Sharks have similar lifespans and lower reproductive rates than other mammals like walruses and whales. Ocean creatures have historically been, and continue to be, hunted and harvested for their oil. These characteristics make sharks extremely sensitive to extinction because of their long life cycles and breeding patterns.
“Some species may take 30 years or more to mature, and possibly up to 150 years in the case of the Greenland Shark, and only produce 12 pups throughout their entire life,” said Dulvy. “Many deepwater sharks and rays can only withstand very small amounts of fishing pressure.”
The study calls for a 30% increase in protecting the world’s oceans before 2030. This would include the deep ocean, where 80% of the threatened species would receive “partial protection across their range.” A fishing probe 800 metres into the sea would cover a vertical refuge for “a third of threatened deepwater sharks and rays.” Fishing 800 metres deep creates a safer area for deep water sharks and rays who are at risk of extinction.
“There’s been great success in regulating the shark fin trade. Now, we need to turn our attention to regulating the international trade in liver oil,” said Dulvy.
