Shark is a wild thing

we know that sharks live in wilderness. the ocean is a wet jungle and shark is one of predator that is unique and endangered species. it’s not like other fish, shark has become a great influence in human businesses. the researches and entertainments found that shark is very unique and has high commercial value. we find many movies with shark in them and it’s still attracted us to go to cinemas watching them. the researches about shark has develop into various aspects, even such as cosmetics and food.

for some people,shark is described as power and speed. it represents what we want to be. and some people try to keep sharks as their pets. nowadays researches help us to keep shark in special conditions, and put shark on aquarium isn’t difficult for now. but, imagine that you have a huge aquarium at your house with a shark in it. it looks cool ,but soon we will find it’s ridiculous. shark is no longer happy in that condition.

some of us have cats, birds, dogs and other small pets in our house. if you have shark in your house,then you are supporting shark’s extinction. to keep the shark live,we need the biggest aquarium on earth,that is ocean. the ocean provides the shark’s needs,including food and shelter. we can only observe them and leave them live peacefully. the shark is one of ocean’s wonders that we must keep in order to show our pride to the next generation of humankind.

Basics of Sharks

  • Sharks have roamed our seas for more than 400 million years, which means they inhabited the earth for nearly 200 million years before dinosaurs.
  • Sharks are fish with skeletons made of cartilage instead of bone, but sharks’ slow growth and late maturity mean they have more in common with sea turtles and marine mammals than bony fish such as flounder or tuna.
  • Sharks are a remarkably diverse group of fish. They range from less than a metre to 20 metres in length; they are found in most coastal regions but also in the deep ocean and even in fresh water. Some sharks lay eggs, but most give birth to live young. Most are top predators while a few feed on plankton. Sharks in turn are preyed upon by other sharks and sometimes killer whales.
  • The term ‘shark’ often refers not only to shark species but also to the closely related rays and skates, as well as the oft-overlooked chimaeras (rat, rabbit and elephant fish).Collectively these cartilaginous species are known as chondrichthyan fish (forming Class Chondrichthyes).

Shark Alliance

The Shark Alliance was formed in 2006 in an attempt to streamline the efforts of NGOs involved in shark conservation. The Alliance is able to utilize the manpower, resources, and combined knowledge of its member organizations to more effectively lobby for sustainable European and global shark fishing limits. Members of the Shark Alliance include The Shark Trust, the European Elasmobranch Association, and The Ocean Concervancy, among others.

In its own words:

The Shark Alliance is a not-for-profit coalition of non-governmental organizations dedicated to restoring and conserving shark populations by improving European fishing policy. Because of the influence of Europe in global fisheries and the importance of sharks in ocean ecosystems, these efforts have the potential to enhance the health of the marine environment in Europe and around the world.

The mission of the Shark Alliance is two-fold: To close loopholes in European policy regarding the wasteful and unsustainable practice of shark finning; To secure responsible, science-based shark fishing limits for long-term sustainability and ecosystem health.

Sharks have evolved over 400 million years and play a critical role in ocean ecosystems. In common with land predators such as lions and wolves, sharks keep other marine populations in check and help maintain the balance of life in the sea. Today, primarily because of overfishing sharks are among the oceans’ most threatened animals. Tens of millions of sharks are killed each year, either intentionally or as bycatch in commercial and recreational fisheries. Ongoing assessment of the status of European sharks (and closely-related rays) by the IUCN (The World Conservation Union) has led to the classification of roughly one third of evaluated species as threatened (either Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable), with another 16 per cent at risk of becoming so in the near future. Sharks generally grow slowly, mature late and produce few young. Shark populations are therefore especially vulnerable to overexploitation and slow to recover once depleted. The loss of these important predators is predicted to have negative effects on many other species in the sea. Unfortunately, however, misinformation and fear all too often impede the public support required to ensure sharks receive management priority and conservation actions. Unlike many countries that fail to conserve sharks, Europe does not lack the resources to restrict fishing. Despite immediate threats facing sharks there are few European limits on shark fishing, and quotas are routinely set far in excess of actual catches. In 2003, the EU adopted a ban on shark finning (the wasteful practice of slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the carcass at sea), but at the same time allowed glaring loopholes that render the ban all but meaningless. For instance, shark fishermen are allowed to land shark carcasses and fins separately, making it all but impossible to tell how many sharks have been processed on board and how many were subjected to shark finning. Meanwhile, the fin to carcass ratio (the means of checking that the number of fins corresponds to the number of carcasses – after sea processing – is within the ban’s limits) is the highest and therefore the most lenient in the world. Europe is home to the some of the world’s largest fishing fleets while its powerful fisheries officials exert influence on international fishing restrictions in many regions of the globe. Poor European shark policies, therefore, pose threats not only to shark populations in European waters but also to those around the world. If fisheries are managed carefully, sharks can provide a steady source of food and recreation and help keep the oceans in balance. The Shark Alliance is dedicated to ensuring that these valuable yet vulnerable animals survive and thrive for the benefit of ocean ecosystems and the people that depend on them. Save buying products with payday loan

The Shark Trust

The Shark Trust was established in 1997 to study, protect, and manage the elasmobranch species found in UK waters and internationally. It is a member of the European Elasmobranch Association and works with other EEA organizations to counter the enormous fishing pressure that European shark and ray stocks are under.

The Shark Trust’s mandate includes:

  • Introducing effective management on a regional basis to regulate shark and ray fisheries and ensure that they are sustainable.

  • Reducing shark and ray bycatch and mortality in other fisheries.

  • Increasing research efforts on the biology of sharks and rays and their fisheries, including the promotion of a collaborative tag and release program.

  • Improving records of catches, landings, and international trade in species of sharks and rays.

  • Improving management of critical habitats, including nursery grounds, under threat.

  • Increasing the amount of information available to the public and decision makers.

The Shark Trust encourages scientists, divers, fishermen, anglers, and the general public to join the growing number of ST members that currently lend their support.

Your membership in The Shark Trust adds to the pressure that it is able to be put on governing and regulatory agencies, and helps spread awareness on the plight of sharks and rays in general.

Subscription to The Shark Trust carries no obligation on your part unless you wish it to. However, if you would like to help educate or raise funds your added contribution will be most welcome.

Shark Trust members receive the trust’s magazine/newsletter ‘Shark Focus’ 3 times per year. This is a glossy publication that chronicles the latest work of the trust and has articles on a variety of shark and ray subjects. Upon joining the trust you will also receive i.d. posters of British shark and ray species and other Shark Trust goodies.

The Shark Trust also hosts a highly informative website with sections on all aspects of sharks and rays. The site also contains a good image database of elasmobranch species and an active and well moderated forum for anyone wishing to talk sharks.

Shark Existence

The shark existence of the east coast of the USA decreased in the last 15 years substantially. The number of the hammerhead sharks sank around 89%, those of the thresher sharks around 80%, those of the great white sharks around 79%. The populations of the mako sharks, blue sharks and tiger sharks sank around 40-65%. The existence of the sandbar sharks were reduced in the last 10 years by overfishing by 85-90%.
Canadian researchers announce a decrease of the oceanic whitetip shark by around 99%. They are almost extinguished in certain regions already.

Sharks are not only caught actively for their meat, fins or cartilages. Millions of sharks die as non-usable catch (bycatch) in the nets and longlines of the swimming fish factories.

In the year 1991 the longline fishery brought in 8.3 million sharks world-wide. It is assumed that about half of it were blue sharks. More than 87% of these 8.3 million sharks were thrown away!

In the USA, along the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico, annually approx. 2.5 million sharks are fished by sportfishing (game fishing). From that approx. 20-40% (500’000 – 1’000’000 sharks) got killed.

The population of all sorts of sharks is worldwide extremely threatened. In total 82 shark and ray species are registered on the so called “Red List” of the World Conservation Union.

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