A new study by Greenpeace International found that regional fishery management in international waters of the North Atlantic do not adequately protect shark populations.
Using Global Fishing Watch41, a freely available tool for tracking more than 65,000 commercial fishing vessels throughout the world, researchers analyzed fishing activity in the North Atlantic.
They found that in many cases, the accidental bycatch of sharks by commercial fishing activities, far exceeded that of the target species, including the North Atlantic swordfish fishery. Because of “piecemeal” regulations regarding the enforcement of sharks as bycatch, most of this bycatch goes unreported. Such practices can have disastrous long-term effects on shark populations.
“450 million years of evolution has simply not prepared the world’s sharks to withstand humanity’s relentless ability to hunt and fish,” the study concluded.
The study concludes that there is a clear need for a strong Global Ocean Treaty that will ensure regional and industry bodies take a more holistic approach to the conservation of our global oceans, including through the designation of fully protected marine protected areas in order to help struggling fish populations recover.
