One-Quarter of Sharks and Rays Face Extinction [View all]
From Ring of Fire:
A quarter of sharks and rays are threatened with extinction due to overfishing, according to the first-ever global analysis of these species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The most recent edition of the IUCN’s “Red List” of threatened and endangered species assessed the conservation status of 1,041 shark, ray, and chimaera species, Live Science reports.
According to the Red List, sharks, rays, and chimeras – cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyans) – are at higher risk of extinction than most other species on the list. Only 23 percent of shark, ray, and chimera species are categorized as being of “least concern,” or relatively unthreatened.
The cartilaginous fishes are mainly threatened by overfishing. Reported catches of sharks, rays, and chimeras peaked in 2003, although researchers say catches are likely greatly under-reported. Many catches are unintentional, although there are developing markets for sharks and rays that are adding stress to the species, according to IUCN.
You can read the full article here at Ring of Fire.
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