Mediterranean is shark danger zone, warns report

It will come as a surprise to those who nervously hum the theme from Jaws when they enter the water, but the Mediterranean Sea is one of the most dangerous places on the planet for sharks and rays. That's the fish at risk, not the humans.

Conservationists believe 30 of the sea's 71 cartilaginous species are vulnerable to extinction, mainly due to intensive fishing and the decline of their habitats.

Also the species have a tendency to grow slowly, mature late and produce few young, meaning that these predators - vital to marine food webs and ecosystems - are in serious decline, according to the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

It says better enforcement of existing bans on deepwater fishing, drift nets and slicing off sharks' valuable fins might ease pressure on populations. But internationally agreed catch limits for those species that are fished, rather than caught accidentally, are also needed.

The shortfin mako and porbeagle, both prized for their meat and fins, are among 13 "critically endangered" species, the most at-risk group.

The Maltese skate, found only in the Mediterranean, and whose populations are thought to have dropped by four-fifths because of bottom-trailing fisheries, is in similar danger.

The giant devil ray, whose females can grow to five metres (17ft) and give birth to just one pup per pregnancy, is on the "endangered" list, the next most serious group.

So is the feared great white shark. The shark that inspired Jaws is more under threat in the Mediterranean than in any other waters, where it has a lesser global conservation rating of "vulnerable".

Only one species, the Portuguese dogfish, has a better rating in the Mediterranean than elsewhere. This deep-sea shark is found at depths of nearly 4,000 metres and may be benefiting from a 2005 ban on fishing below 1,000 metres.

The IUCN brings together governments, non-governmental organisations and about 10,000 scientists and experts. The report from its shark specialist group and its centre for Mediterranean cooperation, says 30 species in the sea are threatened with extinction - 13 critically, eight endangered and nine vulnerable.

Another 13 are assessed as "near-threatened", while there is a lack of information on 18 species to classify them. Only 10 species are "of least concern".

Claudine Gibson, one of the report's authors, said: "From devil rays to angel sharks, Mediterranean populations...are in serious trouble.

"Our analyses reveal the Mediterranean Sea as one of the world's most dangerous places for sharks and rays. Bottom dwelling species appear to be at greatest risk in this region, due mainly to intense fishing of the seabed."

Alen Soldo of Split University, Croatia, said: "We are particularly concerned about the porbeagle and mako sharks in the Mediterranean. Our studies reveal persistent fishing pressure well in excess of the reproductive capacity of the species."

Sonja Fordham, deputy of the shark specialist group, said country officials should heed the dire warnings and "change the current course toward extinction of these remarkable creatures."

Ian Ferguson, a specialist on Mediterranean sharks, said in research published nine years ago that fewer than one shark bite a year on humans had been recorded in the sea - an average of 0.42 cases annually. This is despite the millions of visitors to the region, the presence of 46 shark species – 16 measuring three metres or more - and 15 of them being classed as potentially dangerous.

At present there are no catch limits for fished sharks and rays in the Mediterranean. Eight species are listed on international conventions relating to Mediterranean wildlife but only three have received any protection as a result: the white and basking shark in EU and Croatian waters, and the giant devil ray off Malta and Croatia.

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