Nature and Biodiversity

Endangered sharks face a future without refuge from industrial ships

With the Kennedy Space Center on the horizon in the background a sand shark hangs above the ocean after being caught by a fisherman in Cocoa Beach, July 14, 2005. Life on the beach returned to normal as thousands who gathered to watch the launch of space shuttle Discovery dispersed after the launch was postponed due to a faulty sensor in the fuel tank. NASA called off the much-anticipated launch of Discovery less than three hours before the scheduled mid-afternoon liftoff. The next attempt could be on Saturday at the earliest, but first NASA must figure out why the fuel sensor malfunctioned. The shark was released back into the ocean by the fisherman. REUTERS/Gary Hershorn GMH/TZ - RP6DRMRMUXAD

Sharks are at major risk from longline fishing. Image: REUTERS/Gary Hershorn

David Sims
Professor of Marine Ecology, University of Southampton
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A shortfin mako shark glides near the ocean’s surface.
A shortfin mako shark glides near the ocean’s surface. Image: Neil Hammerschlag, Author provided
A tiger shark with a fin-mounted satellite transmitter.
A tiger shark with a fin-mounted satellite transmitter. Image: Neil Hammerschlag, Author provided
The satellite tracks of shark movements in the world’s oceans.
The satellite tracks of shark movements in the world’s oceans. Image: David Sims, Author provided
The hotspots of many pelagic sharks overlapped with longline fishing activity.
The hotspots of many pelagic sharks overlapped with longline fishing activity. Image: David Sims, Author provided
A blue shark caught by a longline fishing vessel in the Atlantic Ocean.
A blue shark caught by a longline fishing vessel in the Atlantic Ocean. Image: Marine Biological Association, Author provided
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Nature and BiodiversityGlobal RisksFuture of the Environment
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