41 shark species threatened with extinction in the Mediterranean
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More
than half of the 41 species of shark living in the Mediterranean are threatened
with extinction, one third of them acute. This is the conclusion of a recently
published report by the environmental protection organization WWF. The causes
have been known for a long time: Overfishing, illegal fishing, but also the
dramatic plastic pollution „have drastically decimated shark and ray
populations,“ complains Simone Niedermüller, marine biologist at the WWF.
Poor management of fisheries, lack of controls, and label fraud „make the
Mediterranean the most dangerous habitat for shark and ray species in the
world,“ says Niedermüller.
The
majority of threatened species are unwanted by-catches that are thrown back
into the sea dying. According to the report, more than 60 species were
registered in trawl nets. Enormous numbers die in illegal drift nets. Highly
endangered great white sharks die mainly in purse seine nets of tuna
vessels.
Also
jointly responsible is the rampant label fraud with fish products. „DNA
tests have shown that consumers who eat swordfish often grab shark meat
marketed too hastily. This also involves health risks, as the mercury content
of some shark species is far above the legal limits,“ warns
Niedermüller.
It
is common practice in many coastal restaurants to foist blue sharks on
unsuspecting tourists instead of swordfish. The restaurants buy the illegally
caught fish from illegal fishermen – and then earn twice as much when they
change the name to the high-priced swordfish, because the dish is sold
illegally and taxes are not paid. Tourists in the Mediterranean should
therefore avoid swordfish for the sake of sharks and their own health.
Anglers in front of Croatia and Spain should be told that almost all pelagic sharks are protected and must be released. Simple rule: Everything that has pointed teeth must be returned.
Pollution by plastic waste is, by the way, another major threat to sharks. They confuse plastic with food or get caught in plastic objects and ghost nets: 20 percent of plastic waste is lost cargo or fishing gear According to the WWF, 33,800 plastic bottles also land in the Mediterranean on average – per MINUTE! Together with other plastic waste, this adds up to more than half a million tons of plastic.
