Overfishing and demand for shark meat pose significant threats to the more than 80 species of sharks and rays that inhabit the Mediterranean Sea, according to a new study from the University of Plymouth.
Sharks and rays are significantly under threat in the Mediterranean, despite more than 200 measures in place to protect them, according to new research from the University of Plymouth.
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The study looked at current levels of legislation in place to protect sharks and rays within each of the 22 coastal states of the Mediterranean.
Across those countries – stretching from Spain and Morocco in the west to Israel, Lebanon and Syria in the east – the researchers identified more than 200 protective measures, ranging from national legislation to conservation efforts by various non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
What monitoring is there?
While sharks and rays feature on many policy agendas across the region, the study found considerable differences in how effectively any legislation was being monitored with no single source for tracking progress in the conservation and management of sharks at national levels.
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Experts and NGOs across the region also highlighted that sharks are increasingly being landed intentionally and unintentionally by fishers, often to meet the demand for shark meat.
However, there is often little control in place where sharks are landed, leading researchers to call for increased monitoring to protect threatened species, in addition to more public education and incentives for fishers to use equipment that is less threatening to sharks.
What more can be done to protect sharks?
In their study, authors listed recommendations for better conserving and protecting shark and ray species in the Mediterranean sea. These include extending spacial conservation measures, and improved relations with the fishing community.
"Sharks have been part of the marine ecosystem for millions of years with an evolutionary history that predates the dinosaurs," said associate lecturer Dr Lydia Koehle. "However, many shark species in the Mediterranean have seen drastic declines in past few decades with over half of the species being threatened by extinction, largely due to overfishing and related pressures such as bycatch. Finding effective ways to conserve them is, therefore, of critical importance.”
What sharks live in the Mediterranean Sea?
The Mediterranean Sea is home to more than 80 species of shark and ray, including the blue shark, sand tiger shark (one of the rarest sharks in the world) and bull shark. The great white shark has also been spotted in the blue waters of the Med but is a rare sight, more commonly found in US and Australian waters.
Basking sharks are the largest sharks in the Mediterranean – the length of a double decker bus.
Main image: blue shark © Getty Images