Sharks on Shaky Ground

Sharks are scary. The more primal part of the human brain may regard sharks as dangerous and therefore exciting to kill. Hollywood has certainly milked our caveman psyche. But no matter how tough or horrifying an individual shark may be, their populations worldwide are vulnerable to the crush of human consumption. Culinary trends and efficient commercial fleets are threatening the monsters of the deep. There are over 100 nations that fish for sharks, resulting in an estimated 100 million sharks killed last year, according to an estimate reported online by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). One of the most acute threats to shark populations is the growing popularity of shark fin soup in Asian markets. As Asian economies and populations boom, so does the demand for the soup. A bowl of shark fin soup may cost up to $200.

Many commercial boats target sharks simply for their fins, throwing the rest of the animal back in the ocean to die. It's estimated that between 26 and 73 million sharks are killed each year for this purpose.

Pelagic shark species such as the thresher and great white have suffered a drop of nearly 80 percent in the past twenty years according to a 2005 article by WildAid, a wildlife conservation group. In a study conducted in the northwest Atlantic by Canadian researchers, the hammerhead has suffered an 89 percent decrease in population from 1986 to 2000.

Food pyramids are always bottom heavy, meaning that there are fewer top predators than there are bait and other forage. Apex predators like sharks are often susceptible to over-harvest because there are few of them to begin with and they reproduce slowly. Prior to being protected, great whites, specifically the large breeding females, had been the target of a lucrative sportfishing market. However, in the 1990s, the noticeable decline in the great white population and a turnaround in public attitude culminated in the passing of protective legislation in several countries such as South Africa, Australia, Tasmania, Namibia, the Maldives and the U.S.

These conservation measures are only the beginning. As the world's human population grows, so does the pressure on marine life. Sharks and other apex predators are the canaries in the coal mine. Sharks are tough and resilient individually, but their populations may not be. Management on a global level is crucial.