The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), an international non-governmental organization committed to reducing humanity’s footprint on the environment and preserving wilderness, has issued a substantial report in honor of Shark Awareness Day. Celebrated every year on the 14th of July, this particular day in 2019 bears the theme “The sharks in crisis: a call to action for the Mediterranean.” The report meticulously outlines the severe risks faced by Sharks in the Mediterranean region, which range from overfishing to plastic pollution.
The Threat of Overfishing
One primary threat to the survival of sharks is overfishing. The report shows that while some shark species are purposely hunted for food, many become unintended bycatch, caught in nets initially set to catch different fish species. This issue poses a significant risk to shark populations, with numerous species being fished to near extinction.
The Scourge of Plastic Pollution
In addition to overfishing, plastic pollution presents a grave danger to sharks in the Mediterranean. The staggering increase in plastic refuse endangers sharks either through ingestion or entanglement. Such encounters with plastic waste are often fatal, contributing to dwindling shark numbers in the region.
Species at Risk
According to the report, over half of the shark and ray species inhabiting the Mediterranean are in jeopardy. Alarmingly, nearly one-third of these face imminent extinction due to intensive fishing practices. Libya and Tunisia have been implicated as the most egregious offenders, whose fisheries each account for about 4,200 tonnes of shark catches annually. This figure is three times higher than that of Italy, the next largest Mediterranean shark fisher.
| Country | Annual Shark Catches (in tonnes) |
|---|---|
| Libya | 4,200 |
| Tunisia | 4,200 |
| Italy | 1,400 |
The IUCN Red List: A Cause for Concern
Highlighting the severity of the situation, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of endangered species includes 79 endangered shark and 120 endangered ray species. These figures display the perilous predicament faced by these marine creatures, further underscoring the urgent need for effective conservation measures.
About WWF
Founded in 1961, the World Wide Fund for Nature is a leading global environmental organization dedicated to wilderness preservation and minimizing humanity’s impact on the environment. Known as the World Wildlife Fund in Canada and the United States, WWF is headquartered in Gland, Switzerland. The organization staunchly believes in building a future where humans coexist harmoniously with nature, citing its mission “to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment.” Every two years, WWF publishes the Living Planet Report, which contains a Living Planet Index and ecological footprint calculations.