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July 22, 2018
Shark Awareness Day, held last week, is an opportunity for conservation groups to raise awareness of the need to protect sharks and dispel myths. about the creatures conveyed by the media. 19659003] Predators were already generally dreaded by the public, with the release of Jaws in the mid-70s reinforcing the reputation of the men-eater species (Quite funny, the author of the original novel, Peter Benchley, became an activist for their protection)
In fact, only five shark-related human deaths occurred in 2017 compared to an estimated 100 million sharks killed each year by humans. Indeed, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) shark expert Andy Cornish tells the Hong Kong The Green News about the challenges facing the predator.
Knowing the ecosystem
About 500 species of sharks exist, ranging from 14 cm to 20 meters. They are mainly predators at the top of the food chain and necessary to maintain the ocean ecosystem.
"White sharks and tiger sharks are the biggest predators," says Cornish. "If they had left, the marine ecosystem would become destabilized."
A recent research expedition from the University of Western Australia on the coral reefs of the Kimberley region suggests that sharks play even a key role in the regulation of coral health.
If apex predators disappeared, other large fish populations would increase and the population of fish that eat algae would fall. "The effect of cascade would result in fewer herbivorous fish would clean up rocks and dead algae so that corals could settle on the reef, "says Cornish.
S Attack on overfishing
A quarter of the world's shark population is threatened with extinction due to overfishing, with the practice of shark finning – cutting the fins and throwing the shark's body in sea - an important factor Sharks are deprived of their fins and sink into water and die of hunger
Since 2003, this practice has been banned in the EU. prohibition, the import is still allowed for personal consumption, the s fin wolf ending up in restaurants and supermarkets in Europe.
"People used to do it on the high seas because the fins are very useful but their meat value.The fishermen did not want to fill a boat with cheap shark meat," says Cornish .
Although Cornish claims that many countries have abandoned this practice, the demand for shark meat has now increased. "The international trade in shark meat has doubled since the 1990s.
" Five years ago, we said that demand for shark fins was the main driver of overfishing, but now demand for Shark meat is just as important.
"Sharks are absolutely not protected enough," he warns. "There are very few countries that manage their shark population well, like Australia and the US."
Irish waters contain 71 species of sharks, rays and other related species, more than half of the species on the European list, are at the center of some of the most intense fishing efforts in Europe. Today, 17 species are clbadified as vulnerable or critically endangered in Irish waters.
Polluted Plastics and Climate Change
Over eight million tons of plastic are expected to enter the ocean each year, breaking down over time into microscopic pieces that can absorb toxins from the water and become chemically dangerous.
If it is eaten by species in the marine environment, plastic clogs the digestive system and reduces the nutritional value of their food. "It's probably the species that feed on plankton and are likely to ingest plastic," says Cornish.
A more visible consequence is entanglement. "If fishing nets are accidentally lost or if fishermen throw them overboard, they can catch marine life," he warns.
A study published this week by the University of Southampton highlights the impacts of climate change on shark populations, with several species of sharks migrating further north due to global warming. Researchers believe that the great hammerhead shark and the black tip shark – normally found in tropical waters – could inhabit British waters mid-century.
"The temperature of their body will be very similar to the temperature of the water.If the temperature rises or falls, the area becomes unsuitable," says Cornish
About the Author [19659024] Charline Fernandez
Charline is French and a student of journalism at DCU, and is interested in the environment, animal rights and rock music.
