After several recent and widely published incidents concerning the fishing of several protected shark species, which sadly advertise abusive and embarrassing behaviours, iSea would like to provide some important information on these magnificent species, that constitute unique and irreplaceable elements of the Mediterranean marine ecosystems.

Sharks and rays have been present on earth for nearly half a billion years, with more than 1,250 extant species. They belong to Chondrichthyes, a class of animals whose bones consist solely from cartilaginous tissue. Their diversity is enormous, including species reaching from a few centimetres, to the largest fish of the ocean, the plankton filter feeder whale shark (Rhincodon typus), which may grow to more than 14 metres of length. A unique attribute of sharks is that several species are ovoviviparous, thus giving birth to fully functional and living young that have hatched within the body of their mothers, closely resembling the reproductive processes and strategies of mammals.

Unfortunately, both sharks and rays are awfully misunderstood and ill perceived by the human public, and their populations are on a critical conservation status, mostly due to anthropogenic threats and pressures. In Greek seas 11 from the total of 39 species (out of the 41 found in the Mediterranean basin) have been identified as threatened according to IUCN’s Red List (4 are considered as Critically Endangered, 3 as Endangered and 4 as Vulnerable). Sadly, contemporary narratives widely presented in popular and mainstream and cultural media, have attached an utterly negative connotation to sharks, propagating an unsubstantiated and fabricated image of them as implacable and voracious predators. The reality though, is in stark contrast to the above. Less than 10 lethal shark attacks on humans are recorded on a yearly basis on the whole planet, whereas more than 100,000,000 sharks die every year as a result of our activities. Regrettably, a large percentage of the above number is a direct consequence of «shark finning», an unsustainable and destructive fishing practice that provides the Asian cuisine with the “shark fin delicacy”, that results in discarding the whole animal alive but finned into the ocean, thus condemning it to a slow and painful death. This devastating fishing practice has already resulted in a significant decline, if not a collapse, of several shark species populations.

The pivotal importance of cartilaginous fish for marine ecosystems is highlighted by the fact that most shark and some ray species constitute top predators, thus possess central and stabilizing functions in marine food webs. Common characteristics of these species are the low reproductive and growth rates and the long life spans. It should be mentioned that there is a positive correlation between the litter size compared to the biomass of the animals that are in reproductive age. One more common characteristic lies in the fact that these species present complex intra-specific spatial relations and connections, both in terms of sex and highly migratory behaviours. In order to interpret the exact role and value of such species, one needs to utilize an ecosystem approach, especially considering the detrimental effects that Illegal, Irresponsible and unregulated fisheries, pollution and marine habitat degradation have on their abundance, structure and biological characteristics of their populations. Over and above fisheries and their continuous hunt for always larger, and thus fully capable of reproduction fish, has culminated in unsustainable yields for the overall production, while a stock collapse for several shark species has become a possibility, if not a certainty, especially in the Mediterranean Sea.

Sharks and rays protection is imposed through a series of laws, international treaties and European Directives and Regulations, which the Greek state has the obligation to enforce. Nationally the most important law is the Presidential Decree 67/1981, «On the protection of native flora and fauna», according to which four species of sharks and rays, Bluntnose sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus), Sharpnose sevengill shark (Heptranchias perlo), Atlantic torpedo (Torpedo nobiliana) and Devil fish (Mobula mobular), have been designated as strictly protected, including a complete ban on killing, removing, mistreating, possessing, collecting, buying, selling or exporting them. Furthermore the Greek state has ratified a number of conventions that foresee their preservation, such as Barcelona, Bonn and Bern Conventions, CITES and UNCLOS, as well as the EU Regulations 43/2014 and 72/2016. Especially the Barcelona and Bern conventions have several species of sharks and rays listed in their annexes, and their provisions should be enforced by the countries that have formally ratified them. Last but not least MAP/UNEP through RAC-SPA has formulated an Action Plan for the Conservation of Cartilaginous Fish (Chondrichtyans) in the Mediterranean Sea. Over and above and very recently the General Directorate for Sustainable Fisheries of the Greek Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food has published a circular formally requesting that all competent authorities should implement and enforce the ban concerning fishing and marketing of certain species of sharks and rays according to the obligations resulting from the GFCM recommendations as these are described in Annex II of the Protocol of the Barcelona Convention. This concerns 24 species of sharks and rays, for which «species must be released unharmed and alive to the extent possible,  cannot be retained on board, transhipped, landed, transferred, stored, sold or displayed or offered for sale». This circular is also accompanied by a short identification guide, in order to help fishermen and other involved stakeholders avoid the capture or marketing of these species.

iSea, warmly welcomes the above mentioned circular, issued by the General Directorate for Sustainable Fisheries. However the identification guide accompanying this document includes some inaccuracies and erroneous information especially concerning the Sharpnose sevengill shark (Heptranchias perlo), since it provides that fishing, landing and marketing is allowed, while this species is explicitly considered as strictly protected in the Presidential Decree 67/1981.

Apart from the above, this circular has been issued amidst a dire period that pressures and threats towards sharks and rays are constantly increasing, and sadly, species that are under strict protection literally end up to the consumers’ plates, as dinner. In order to avoid such cases, it is of outmost priority to achieve accurate and effective awareness and education of the public, fishers and fish market stakeholders. Such an effort poses as one of the few way outs, in order to avoid stock collapses of species, that until very recently where thriving and with which we all share a common home, the marine natural environment. Besides the responsibilities held by enforcement authorities, we all have a duty not only to promote but to widely establish sustainable fishing practices, in order to preserve the valuable marine resources for the generations to come!

More information and guide for sharks and rays that live in Greek seas you may find at the website of WWF Greece and of Greek Biodiversity Observatory.