1. Global status and conservation potential of reef sharks.
- Author
-
MacNeil MA, Chapman DD, Heupel M, Simpfendorfer CA, Heithaus M, Meekan M, Harvey E, Goetze J, Kiszka J, Bond ME, Currey-Randall LM, Speed CW, Sherman CS, Rees MJ, Udyawer V, Flowers KI, Clementi G, Valentin-Albanese J, Gorham T, Adam MS, Ali K, Pina-Amargós F, Angulo-Valdés JA, Asher J, Barcia LG, Beaufort O, Benjamin C, Bernard ATF, Berumen ML, Bierwagen S, Bonnema E, Bown RMK, Bradley D, Brooks E, Brown JJ, Buddo D, Burke P, Cáceres C, Cardeñosa D, Carrier JC, Caselle JE, Charloo V, Claverie T, Clua E, Cochran JEM, Cook N, Cramp J, D'Alberto B, de Graaf M, Dornhege M, Estep A, Fanovich L, Farabaugh NF, Fernando D, Flam AL, Floros C, Fourqurean V, Garla R, Gastrich K, George L, Graham R, Guttridge T, Hardenstine RS, Heck S, Henderson AC, Hertler H, Hueter R, Johnson M, Jupiter S, Kasana D, Kessel ST, Kiilu B, Kirata T, Kuguru B, Kyne F, Langlois T, Lédée EJI, Lindfield S, Luna-Acosta A, Maggs J, Manjaji-Matsumoto BM, Marshall A, Matich P, McCombs E, McLean D, Meggs L, Moore S, Mukherji S, Murray R, Kaimuddin M, Newman SJ, Nogués J, Obota C, O'Shea O, Osuka K, Papastamatiou YP, Perera N, Peterson B, Ponzo A, Prasetyo A, Quamar LMS, Quinlan J, Ruiz-Abierno A, Sala E, Samoilys M, Schärer-Umpierre M, Schlaff A, Simpson N, Smith ANH, Sparks L, Tanna A, Torres R, Travers MJ, van Zinnicq Bergmann M, Vigliola L, Ward J, Watts AM, Wen C, Whitman E, Wirsing AJ, Wothke A, Zarza-Gonzâlez E, and Cinner JE
- Subjects
- Animals, Geographic Mapping, Population Density, Socioeconomic Factors, Conservation of Natural Resources statistics & numerical data, Coral Reefs, Ecosystem, Fisheries economics, Fisheries statistics & numerical data, Sharks physiology
- Abstract
Decades of overexploitation have devastated shark populations, leaving considerable doubt as to their ecological status
1,2 . Yet much of what is known about sharks has been inferred from catch records in industrial fisheries, whereas far less information is available about sharks that live in coastal habitats3 . Here we address this knowledge gap using data from more than 15,000 standardized baited remote underwater video stations that were deployed on 371 reefs in 58 nations to estimate the conservation status of reef sharks globally. Our results reveal the profound impact that fishing has had on reef shark populations: we observed no sharks on almost 20% of the surveyed reefs. Reef sharks were almost completely absent from reefs in several nations, and shark depletion was strongly related to socio-economic conditions such as the size and proximity of the nearest market, poor governance and the density of the human population. However, opportunities for the conservation of reef sharks remain: shark sanctuaries, closed areas, catch limits and an absence of gillnets and longlines were associated with a substantially higher relative abundance of reef sharks. These results reveal several policy pathways for the restoration and management of reef shark populations, from direct top-down management of fishing to indirect improvement of governance conditions. Reef shark populations will only have a high chance of recovery by engaging key socio-economic aspects of tropical fisheries.- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF