Sharks 'Face Threat Of Extinction'

A third of all sharks and rays in the open ocean are at risk of extinction because of overfishing, an international environmental organisation has warned.

The oceanic whitetip shark is globally vulnerable Pic: IUCN

The International Union for Conservation of Nature, which produces the Red List of endangered species, investigated 64 types of shark and ray and found 32% are at risk.

Some of the best-known species of shark are either endangered or vulnerable to extinction, according to the report called The Conservation Status of Pelagic Sharks And Rays.

The great and scalloped hammerhead sharks and the giant devil ray have been classified as globally endangered, the IUCN said.

Vulnerable: the great white Pic: IUCN

Great white sharks, smooth hammerheads, basking and oceanic whitetip sharks, two mako species and three thrashers were declared globally vulnerable to extinction.

Sonja Fordham, the group's shark specialist, said: "Despite mounting threats, sharks remain virtually unprotected on the high seas.

"The vulnerability and lengthy migrations of most open ocean sharks mean they need coordinated, international conservation plans.

"Our report documents serious overfishing of these species, in national and international waters, and demonstrates a clear need for immediate action on a global scale."



The IUCN called on governments to end "finning", where fins are sliced off to be sold as the main ingredient of shark fin soup before the sharks are tipped back into the sea to die.

Sharks are especially sensitive to overfishing because they take a long period of time to mature and have relatively few young, experts at the ICUN said.

They are also "taken without limit" and killed incidentally during swordfish and tuna fishing in the high seas.