governance of sharks

Why are sharks ruled under fisheries management? It is clear now that these authorities have completely failed to protect shark populations. Mostly because they have a narrow focus on reaching “maximum yield”, meaning to always figure out how to take the most from the ocean. This has caused many fish populations to collapse. With sharks, this approach is disastrous. Sharks are predators and did not evolve to be hunted. They have a life history that more closely resembles mammals. Yet, the fight continues over quotas and “sustainable shark fishing”. As long as we think of sharks as nothing but a collection of parts that should be “harvested”, we will not be effective in protecting the animals.

When it comes to shark fins, we also see that RFMOs are ineffective and unwilling to do something truly impactful. While they have banned the act of finning, they have completely failed to regulate the fin trade. It is far more effective and enforceable to deal with this industry on another front - the export and trade of fins. Ideally, one day, the sale of fins will be banned in the countries that produce the demand. But until that happens, each region must do what it can to not support this devastating trade.