According to the most recent data estimates, roughly 70 million sharks are caught (and killed) each year, most of this is for food, some for sport, and sadly, some just out of fear.
But most of the commercially fished sharks are in fact killed for their fins only–their mutilated carcasses are simply tossed overboard. This is known as “finning”. The fins make their way into a dish known as shark fin soup–a prized delicacy in Japan but also in some Scandinavian countries and in Germany. And as its popularity increases, so do catches–and almost any shark will do (100 out of 400 species are presently exploited for food, according to the Shark Foundation). According to the IUCN (which tracks endangered species with its annual “red list“) and governmental and NGO conservation groups, one third or more of all shark species are endangered.
The remarkable recovery of the Atlantic haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), a commercial fish species once in serious decline from over fishing, is described with reference to an article in The Scientist (July 1, 2009) and a discussion of the theorized causes for this fish species’ rebound. Quote from the post:
The decline of commercially valuable ground fish stocks is symptomatic of the global, over-fishing crisis. Perhaps no other region on the globe is more indicative of this crisis than New England [...]
To update a previous post on the topic, above is a video of activists confronting government scientists and press representatives about the plan to kill up to 85 sea lions because they’re eating salmon. Activists organized a protest today at the Bonville dam and are encouraging all Oregon and Washinton residents to contact their local representatives.
World Species Survey details gloomy outlook for many animal species.In early October of 2008, the results of a global species survey, conducted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, were released. The numbers are startling:
At least a quarter of mammal species are headed toward extinction in the near future.
Nearly 80 percent of the primate species in southern and southeastern Asia are immediately threatened.
At least 22 percent of reptile species are at risk of extinction.
Perhaps 40 percent of North American freshwater fish are threatened.
In Europe, 45 percent of the most common bird species are rapidly declining, and so are the most common bird species in North America.
But perhaps these figures are a bit too abstract. Here’s a more precise way to look at the present state of bio-diversity on Earth.
