We'll keep fishing endagered sharks in 2008

The European Union Council of Ministers has issued the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) quota for fishing in 2008.

The International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) scientists, who offer advice for the TAC setting process, have repeatedly advised that the depletion of European spiny dogfish and porbeagle shark populations is so severe that fishing should no longer be allowed. And yet, catch quotas were issued for these two Critically Endangered species.

The TAC for the porbeagle shark - a large, migratory species - was increased to 581 metric tons from the 422t proposed by the Commission. While this first-ever porbeagle limit is, as such, a step forward, it was set roughly on a par with recent landings and is far in excess of the scientific advice for no fishing.

TACs for spiny dogfish - a small, migratory species - reflect only a 25% reduction in catch, as proposed by the Commission, even though ICES has warned of population collapse and advised zero take of the species. Spiny dogfish meat is sold as fish and chips in the UK and as smoked belly flaps in Germany; filets are eaten in other EU countries including Belgium, France, and Italy.

Concern for these species prompted the EU to propose listing both species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in June.

Eleonora de Sabata

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For more information, please see the Shark Alliance press release

The most dangerous sea on earth for sharks and rays

42% of shark and ray species in the Mediterranean are threatened with extinction, according to a new report from the IUCN – World Conservation Union. The region has the highest percentage of threatened sharks and rays in the world.

Overfishing, including bycatch, is the main cause of decline; habitat degradation, recreational fisheries and other human disturbances are also significant. Bottom dwelling species appear to be at greatest risk in this region, due mainly to intense fishing of the seabed.

These are the findings of an expert workshop at which 71 Mediterranean species of sharks, rays and chimaeras (cartilaginous fishes) were assessed using IUCN Red List categories and criteria. Participants deemed 30 species as threatened with extinction, of which 13 are classified at the highest threat level of Critically Endangered, eight as Endangered and nine as Vulnerable. Another 13 species were assessed as Near Threatened, while a lack of information led to 18 species being classified as Data Deficient. Only 10 species are considered to be of Least Concern.

Eleonora de Sabata

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For more information:
Cavanagh, Rachel D. and Gibson, Claudine. 2007. Overview of the Conservation Status of Cartilaginous Fishes (Chondrichtyans) in the Mediterranean Sea. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Malaga, Spain. vi + 42 pp.

What is Mediterranean Conservation?

Mediterranean Conservation explores the possibility of merging the communication efforts of individuals committed to marine conservation in the ancient Tethys Ocean.