March 1, 2013 — Commercial fishing kills roughly 100 million sharks a year, a toll that is pushing many of species of the fish closer to extinction, according to a study published Friday in the journal Marine Policy.
The new estimate by Canadian and American researchers — the most comprehensive analysis yet of global shark mortality — is substantially higher than numbers found in previous studies, in part because it takes into account the impact of illegal catches and discarded sharks. It comes as international negotiators are about to gather in Bangkok starting Sunday to debate whether to impose new trade restrictions on several imperiled shark species.
Sharks are being fished at an average rate that is 30 to 60 percent higher than they can sustain, the scientists conclude, noting that the animals take years to sexually mature and produce their small litters. Sharks are primarily targeted for their fins, which are used in the Asian delicacy shark's fin soup, though they are also caught accidentally by vessels seeking tuna, swordfish and other species.
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