Challenges in the Conservation and Management of Shark Caught in Fisheries

Sharks are caught in fisheries as targets, byproducts and bycatch. The life history of this group means that they are easily overfished and slow to recover from overfishing. There is evidence that a wide range of species have been depleted to relatively low levels and are in need of recovery. Despite this, there are examples of other shark populations that have been sustainably fished for decades. The aim of this work was to identify under what conditions, if any, sharks can be sustainably fished, and given these conditions how approaches to fisheries research and management can be more effectively developed. Two fundamental questions were identified in determining if a shark population can be sustainably fished. Firstly, does the population have surplus production that can be removed by fisheries without pushing them to extinction? And secondly, can the level of fishing be controlled so that the population does not fall below MSY (or other appropriate reference points)? Sustainable shark populations indicate the answer to both questions is yes. However, success is dependent not only on the ability to estimate the levels of take that ensure populations are sustainable, but also to manage the human populations that exploit these populations. Further challenges exist when considered in a fisheries context due to multispecies catches, dynamic fishing practices, the effects of closures, and capture of threatened and endangered species. The prospects for sustainable fishing of sharks, and the research that is needed to support them, will be discussed.