Sharks 'endangered'

Many species of sharks and rays are in danger of becoming extinct, according to the Biological Conservation Research Foundation (Bicref).

Bicref said it was aware of this as a result of its ongoing conservation research on shark and ray species.

The foundation's voluntary members have been assisting in research work organised and run by the Conservation Biology Research Group of the University of Malta, which continued in spite of very little financial support.

Locally, a wide range of shark species were caught annually ranging from small individuals commonly known as dogfish to larger species such as the now rare Great White shark, Bicref said. At international level sharks were being given an important status in research because many grew and reproduced slowly. So if catches happened to be higher than the population could support, shark numbers would decline. This could cause an adverse effect on the shark species, on the area's ecology and on the fisheries sustained economy.

Bicref said it constantly advocated the need for accurate monitoring and data collection. This was a national requirement imposed by Malta's international species protection agreements that demanded the authorities allocate special funds towards monitoring and scientific research.

It hoped that entities already in place dedicating time and effort to such a practice were given the support to continue and to expand the work required at a national level.

http://sites.keyworld.net/bicref/