eLife (Jan 2014)
Extinction risk and conservation of the world’s sharks and rays
- Nicholas K Dulvy,
- Sarah L Fowler,
- John A Musick,
- Rachel D Cavanagh,
- Peter M Kyne,
- Lucy R Harrison,
- John K Carlson,
- Lindsay NK Davidson,
- Sonja V Fordham,
- Malcolm P Francis,
- Caroline M Pollock,
- Colin A Simpfendorfer,
- George H Burgess,
- Kent E Carpenter,
- Leonard JV Compagno,
- David A Ebert,
- Claudine Gibson,
- Michelle R Heupel,
- Suzanne R Livingstone,
- Jonnell C Sanciangco,
- John D Stevens,
- Sarah Valenti,
- William T White
Affiliations
- Nicholas K Dulvy
- IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada; Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
- Sarah L Fowler
- IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group, NatureBureau International, Newbury, United Kingdom
- John A Musick
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, United States
- Rachel D Cavanagh
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Peter M Kyne
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
- Lucy R Harrison
- IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada; Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
- John K Carlson
- Southeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service, Panama City, United States
- Lindsay NK Davidson
- IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada; Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
- Sonja V Fordham
- Shark Advocates International, The Ocean Foundation, Washington, DC, United States
- Malcolm P Francis
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
- Caroline M Pollock
- Global Species Programme, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Colin A Simpfendorfer
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia; School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
- George H Burgess
- Florida Program for Shark Research, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainsville, United States
- Kent E Carpenter
- IUCN Species Programme Species Survival Commission, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, United States; Conservation International Global Marine Species Assessment, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, United States
- Leonard JV Compagno
- Shark Research Center, Iziko, South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa
- David A Ebert
- Pacific Shark Research Center, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing, United States
- Claudine Gibson
- IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group, NatureBureau International, Newbury, United Kingdom
- Michelle R Heupel
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia
- Suzanne R Livingstone
- Global Marine Species Assessment, Biodiversity Assessment Unit, IUCN Species Programme, Conservation International, Arlington, United States
- Jonnell C Sanciangco
- IUCN Species Programme Species Survival Commission, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, United States; Conservation International Global Marine Species Assessment, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, United States
- John D Stevens
- Marine and Atmospheric Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Hobart, Australia
- Sarah Valenti
- IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group, NatureBureau International, Newbury, United Kingdom
- William T White
- Marine and Atmospheric Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Hobart, Australia
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00590
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 3
Abstract
The rapid expansion of human activities threatens ocean-wide biodiversity. Numerous marine animal populations have declined, yet it remains unclear whether these trends are symptomatic of a chronic accumulation of global marine extinction risk. We present the first systematic analysis of threat for a globally distributed lineage of 1,041 chondrichthyan fishes—sharks, rays, and chimaeras. We estimate that one-quarter are threatened according to IUCN Red List criteria due to overfishing (targeted and incidental). Large-bodied, shallow-water species are at greatest risk and five out of the seven most threatened families are rays. Overall chondrichthyan extinction risk is substantially higher than for most other vertebrates, and only one-third of species are considered safe. Population depletion has occurred throughout the world’s ice-free waters, but is particularly prevalent in the Indo-Pacific Biodiversity Triangle and Mediterranean Sea. Improved management of fisheries and trade is urgently needed to avoid extinctions and promote population recovery.
Keywords
