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Global Priorities for Conserving Sharks and Rays a 2015–2025 Strategy

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Global Priorities for Conserving Sharks and Rays a 2015–2025 Strategy Global Priorities for Conserving Sharks and Rays A 2015–2025 STRATEGY Global Sharks and Rays Initiative A. Bräutigam, M. Callow, I.R. Campbell, M.D. Camhi, A.S. Cornish, N.K. Dulvy, S.V. Fordham, S.L. Fowler, A.R. Hood, C. McClennen, E.L. Reuter, G. Sant, C.A. Simpfendorfer and D.J. Welch SHARK LANDING. © WCS INDONESIA vertebrate groups of theworld’s the mostthreatened making themamong with extinction, threatened species are of chondrichthyan estimates that24% analysis A recent Contents is apartnershipof: The GlobalSharksandRaysInitiative(GSRI) Selected References A GlobalSharksandRaysInitiative Encouraging ResponsibleConsumptionofSharkandRayProducts inSharkandRayProducts Ensuring ResponsibleTrade Managing SharkandRayFisheriesforSustainability Saving SharkandRaySpecies ofIntervention Strategic Areas A WindowofOpportunity Sharks andRaysUnderThreat A GlobalVisionforSharkandRayConservation ARoadmapforAction Introduction: Contents or boundaries. orofits authorities, orconcerning orarea, thedelimitation ofitsfrontiers territory, concerning thelegalstatusofany country, of theGSRImember organizations of anyopinionwhatsoeveronthepart of thematerial,donotimply expression presentation The designationofgeographical entitiesinthisdocument,andthe and Rays:A2015–2025Strategy. D.J.(2015). C.A.andWelch, Simpfendorfer, E.L.,Sant,G., S.L.,Hood,A.R.,McClennen,C.,Reuter, Fowler, S.V., Fordham, N.K., M.,Campbell,I.R., Camhi,M.D.,Cornish, A.S., Dulvy, Bräutigam, A.,Callow, CITATION Global PrioritiesforConserving Sharks 26 24 21 18 15 12 10 9 6 5 4 3 COVER: MAIN Photo – AnGEL SHARK © TONY GILBERT. CIRCLES (TOP-BOTTOM) THE SHARK TRUST: TOPE © MATTHEW MEIER, THORNBACK RAY © PAUL NAYLOR, GREAT HAMMERHEAD © DUNCAN BRAKE. Introduction A Roadmap for Action The Global Strategy for the Conservation of Fundamental elements of the strategy include: Sharks and Rays (2015–2025), summarized improvements in governance frameworks and regimes here, is the product of an intensive 18-month for shark and ray conservation; data collection and strategic planning process incorporating scientific investigation to further the understanding of extensive data analysis and synthesis, including sharks and rays and the pressures on their populations; a set of background documents, several development and deployment of tools to strengthen technical workshops, and ongoing consultation technical capacity; and fostering increased commitment, and review. including political will and financial investment, across multiple sectors. /WCS R This process involved a team of experts representing the HE A following organizations: Shark Advocates International, The NGOs that have partnered to develop the global EN M the Shark Trust, TRAFFIC, Wildlife Conservation shark and ray conservation strategy are committed Society (WCS), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to its implementation, through a Global Sharks and LARS International. The co-chairs of the International Union for Rays Initiative (GSRI). However, it is clear that such Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Shark Specialist Group an ambitious effort involves a much broader range of TE. © JULIE served as technical advisors and contributors to the private and public sector organizations, agencies, and A SK planning process. This document presents a summary of institutions. This Global Strategy provides a roadmap for the global priorities for shark and ray conservation that expanding commitments and prompting action to ensure have been identified through this collaborative process. the conservation of these vulnerable and valuable fishes. Global priorities are articulated as a comprehensive set of interventions at different levels aimed at: • Saving Shark and Ray Species; • Managing Shark and Ray Fisheries for Sustainability; • Ensuring Responsible Trade in Shark and Ray Products; • Encouraging Responsible Consumption of Shark and Ray Products. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors and their organizations thank the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Disney Conservation Fund for their financial and other support towards the preparation of this Global Strategy and design of a Global Sharks and Rays Initiative to shepherd its implementation. With special thanks to the following: Lindsay Davidson, Julia Lawson, and Rachel Walls (Simon Fraser University/IUCN Shark Specialist Group); Sean Anderson (Simon Fraser University); Gayle Burgess and Markus Burgener (TRAFFIC); and David Wilkie, Elizabeth Bennett, Susan Lieberman, and Lindsay Peter (Wildlife Conservation Society). 4 Vision A Global Vision for Shark and Ray Conservation Sharks, rays and chimaeras1 – the with extinction. This high rate of risk, caused primarily by chondrichthyan fishes – have evolved over 400 overfishing, distinguishes this group of fishes as among million years. They make up one of the oldest the most threatened of the world’s vertebrate groups. remaining groups of vertebrate animals and one of just three classes of living fishes. Today, as Many tens of millions of sharks and rays are killed every many as 1,250 ecologically and evolutionarily year: diverse species2 of chondrichthyans inhabit • in target fisheries, the marine and fresh waters of our planet, with • landed as secondary catch in fisheries targeting other approximately one new species discovered species, or each month. • discarded as unwanted bycatch. A major driver of shark and ray fishing, and resulting population declines, is the strong and in some cases growing demand for shark and ray meat and fins, as well as other products such as mobulid4 N gill plates and shark liver oil. RGA ID MO This Global Strategy aims to end this overexploitation Dav and build the foundation for a global transformation in . © H S I the conservation outlook for these species. SAWF G KIN TRAC These fishes have developed a remarkable range of morphological and mechanical features, including bioluminescence, pockets, saws, hammers, stingers and electricity, which, along with the sheer size and power of the most iconic species, have long captured 1 Class Chondrichthyes incorporates the imaginations. Sharks and rays also exhibit the greatest cartilaginous fishes – both the diversity in reproductive modes of all vertebrates, elasmobranchs (sharks, including species with the largest egg (16cm VISION: skates and rays) and the chimaeras. For diameter) and the longest pregnancy (ca. 31 Sharks and rays throughout the world are simplicity, and to months) in the entire animal kingdom. fulfilling their ecological roles, sustaining reflect the primary focus of the Global well-managed fisheries, and are valued by Strategy, this document There is much to learn from the all for their critical contribution to ecosystem refers to “sharks and rays”, understood chondrichthyans about how complex life has health and human well-being. to encompass the evolved and adapted to changing conditions elasmobranchs. 2 While estimates place on Earth over many millennia. GOAL: the total number of By 2025, the conservation status of the species at nearly 1,250, 1,150 have thus far Sharks and rays are irreplaceable components world’s sharks and rays has improved – been described, and of the world’s biodiversity and perform vital declines have been halted, extinctions have 1,084 of these have been assessed for ecological roles. They also have significant been prevented, and commitments to their the IUCN Red List of economic and cultural values in many societies. conservation have increased globally. Threatened Species. 3 Dulvy et al. 2014. However, these animals are at great risk; a recent 4 “Mobulid gill plates” analysis by the IUCN Shark Specialist Group3 estimated refers to those from the manta and devil rays. that 24% of chondrichthyan species are likely threatened 5 Threats Sharks and Rays Under Threat The major threat to shark and ray species is Of the 1,038 species of sharks and rays currently overfishing. A global expansion of shark and ray assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species6, fishing has been underway for several decades, 181 are listed in one of the three threatened categories, as populations of more favored food fish have including 20 species classified as Critically Endangered, been depleted and/or become subject to more another 127 are categorized as Near Threatened. A stringent fisheries restrictions. While other full 45% (472 species) are classified as Data Deficient, factors, particularly habitat loss, also play a and many newly discovered species have not yet been part, the primary cause of declining shark and assessed. Overall, less than 25% of sharks and rays ray populations is quite simply the fact that they are assessed as of Least Concern, meaning that the are being fished at rates that exceed their great majority of these species are capacity to replenish. in need of conservation attention. Furthermore, the conservation 5 FAO (2014), Davidson Sharks and rays typically grow slowly, mature late, status of rays (including skates, et al. (2015). WEL and produce few young. These life history traits render R sawfishes, and guitarfishes) is worse 6 IUCN 2015. The total number of them particularly vulnerable to overfishing and slow N DE than that of sharks, but they are A chondrichthyan species V to recover from depletion. As a result, whole families R generally afforded less attention assessed at this time is 1,084, but this includes of shark and ray species are today threatened with NDE than their better-known, and more A the 46 species of extinction. Indeed, reported global landings of sharks charismatic, relatives. This
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