As per a recent study published in Nature.com, shark and stingray populations are witnessing a sharp decline at an alarming rate. The study also highlights the fact that this rapid shrink in numbers is hinting at a ‘point of no return’. By Kumar Shree
Shark and stingray populations have fallen by nearly 71.1 per cent from 1970 to 2018, the study noted. The study considered all 31 species of oceanic sharks and stingrays to form their conslusion. Out of these 31 species, 24 face extinction threat and the rest fall under the critically endangered category.
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Nick Dulvy, a biologist at the Simon Fraser University and co-author of the study, said, “If we don’t do anything, it will be too late. It’s much worse than other animal populations we’ve studied.” Expressing his astonishment at the findings, he also added, “Knowing that this is a global figure, the findings are stark.” Dulvey also mentioned that the decline of sharks and rays is much higher than the decline in numbers of elephant and rhino populations.
The study used the Red List Index and the Living Planet Index as two major biodiversity indicators for assessing the rate of decline over the decades. While the Red List Index measures extinction risk among organisms, the Living Planet Index measures changes in population abundance.
The study stated, “an alarming, ongoing, worldwide decline in oceanic shark populations across the world’s largest ecosystem over the past half-century, resulting in an unprecedented increase in the risk of extinction of these species.”
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While factors like climate change and other human disturbances account for a significant part of the decline, overfishing qualifies as the biggest reason. The study found that relative fishing pressure has multiplied by 18-fold since 1970.
Humans hunt sharks for their meat, fins, gill plates and liver oil. The study also noted that about 63 million to 273 million sharks lost their lives every year during the early 2000s.
Nathan Pacoureau, the paper’s lead author, said, “We can see the alarming consequences of overfishing in the ocean through the dramatic declines of some of its most iconic inhabitants… It’s something policymakers can no longer ignore. Countries should work toward new international shark and ray protection, but can start immediately by fulfilling the obligations already agreed internationally.”
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