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Conservation successes and challenges for wide-ranging sharks and rays.
Nathan Pacoureau1,2, John K Carlson3, Holly K Kindsvater1
1Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24060.
Summary
Effective fisheries management can help shark and ray populations recover. Science-based, well-enforced fishing regulations improve conservation outcomes for vulnerable marine species.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Fisheries Science
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Overfishing poses the most significant threat to sharks and rays globally.
- Habitat loss, climate change, and pollution exacerbate the decline of these marine species.
- Effective fisheries management strategies are crucial for identifying recovery pathways, especially in poorly monitored fisheries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the conservation success of fisheries management for 11 coastal shark species in U.S. waters.
- To analyze the impact of the 1993 Fisheries Management Plan for Sharks on shark and ray populations.
- To evaluate the relationship between fishing pressure, management engagement, and extinction risk for sharks and rays in the Western Atlantic.
Main Methods:
- A Bayesian state-space model was employed to compare shark population trends before and after the 1993 management plan.
- Analysis utilized spatial and temporal gradients of fishing exposure and management in the Western Atlantic.
- The study assessed the effect on the Red List status of 26 wide-ranging coastal sharks and rays.
Main Results:
- Shark extinction risk was higher in areas with greater fishing pressure.
- Stronger management engagement, indicated by National and Regional Plans of Action, offset increased extinction risk.
- The regional Red List Index improved in the North and Central Atlantic post-1980s, halving average extinction risk compared to the Southwest Atlantic.
Conclusions:
- Well-enforced, science-based fisheries management of monitored fisheries can lead to conservation success for sharks and rays.
- Effective management in one nation can be undermined by unregulated fishing in other regions due to the wide-ranging nature of these species.
- This study highlights the critical role of robust fisheries management in mitigating overfishing and promoting the recovery of vulnerable shark and ray populations.
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