Oceanic sharks and rays have declined by 71% since 1970 – here's what we must do

Feb 10, 2021

Dried shark fins are seen in a dry food grocery store in Taipei February 27, 2009. Wildlife conservationists, who have long railed against the popularity of shark fin soup, are finally seeing signs that consumption is dropping as young Asians become aware of the environmental impact of this much prized dish. Picture taken February 27, 2009. To match feature ASIA-SHARKFIN/ REUTERS/Pichi Chuang (TAIWAN FOOD DRINK SOCIETY) - GM1E53U0OAZ01

Marine biologists have been raising the alarm for several decades now, but their warnings were often limited to what regional trends showed. Image: REUTERS/Pichi Chuang

David Sims

Professor of Marine Ecology, University of Southampton

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Shortfin mako sharks are one of the world’s fastest animals, but often fall foul of fishing gear. Image: José Antonio Gil Martínez

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