Some Shark Populations Collapsing

[vladimir]

From today's New York Times:

Some shark populations in the Mediterranean Sea have completely collapsed, according to a new study, with numbers of five species declining by more than 96 percent over the last two centuries.

“This loss of top predators could hold serious implications for the entire marine ecosystem, greatly affecting food webs throughout this region,” said the lead author of the study, Francesco Ferretti, a doctoral student in marine biology at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.

Particularly troubling, the researchers said, were patterns indicating a lack of mature females, which are essential if populations are to recover even with new conservation measures.

The full article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/science/earth/12sharks.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

 

[drbill]

I thought most of the ecosystems of the Mediterranean had already collapsed due to millenia of fishing.

There are a number of studies that show similar collapses although not quite as dramatic. However, the methodology used in this study leaves it pretty speculative in my mind. If I remember correctly, this one could only apply the methods used to five of the nearly two dozen species there. I doubt there is any question that a collapse has occurred though.

 

[vladimir]

You are correct Bill, this study's conclusions were limited to the 5 species it had adequate data on it.

 

[Marsha Durkin]

Theres a good and bad to this, the good is that less deaths will occur among humans and the bad it will mess up things in the ecosystems.

 

[SkipperJohn]

I've been following fish biomass research for most of my adult life. I have yet to see a study that wasn't flawed. Most biologists will admit there is no real way to estimate with any accuracy the number of fish in a given area. Sometimes they use fishing captures, sometimes they use spotter planes, other times they will harvest fish in a given area and make estimations on what the rest of the area may have. All of these methods leaves a lot to be desired. But it's all the technology and available funding can offer at the moment. Then there is the bias brought on by special interest groups.
In the United States the system is doomed to be flawed. Basically the department responsible for doing the research and setting limits is the NMFS or National Marine Fisheries Services. NMFS reports to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). NOAA reports to the Department of Commerce. Therefore NMFS is responsible for commerce meaning commercial interests. The very group that is causing the problems. Somehow it always boils down to money.
& the results of all this? I would be hard pressed to find a species that is not in serious trouble.

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]More Sharks added to Threatened List[/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]June 27: The OSPAR (Oslo-Paris) Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Northeast Atlantic announced its decision to add the six species of sharks to their list of Threatened and Declining Species and Habitats: porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus), spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), gulper shark (Centrophorus granulosus), leafscale gulper shark (Centrophorus squamosus), Portuguese dogfish shark (Centroscymnus coelolepis), and the angel shark (Squatina squatina). [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]The OSPAR Convention provides a mechanism for international cooperation to protect the Northeast Atlantic marine environment and promote measures to conserve regionally threatened species. [/FONT]

[/FONT]
This was taken from the Shark Research Institute's Newsletter. The Mediterranean is only one of many areas where sharks are becoming more and more endangered. The US is far from immune. We will only see further decimation throughout the world if we don't do something soon. It's time to get involved with our country's leadership to fight for greater funding of research and also the protection of our waters. Due to the Coast Guard being swept into "Homeland Security", our waters now have become open season for illegal fishing, shrimping, and poaching in our protected waters and marine sanctuaries.

Carolyn:sharks: