From the ArcaMax Publishing, Science & Technology Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/technology/s-571161-153258
GLAND, Switzerland (UPI) -- A Switzerland headquartered conservation
group says at least one-third of the Earth's sharks are threatened
with extinction, primarily because of overfishing.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature said its study is
the first to determine the global conservation status of 64 species of
open ocean sharks and ray.
IUCN officials said the percentage of open ocean shark species
threatened with extinction is higher for sharks taken in high-seas
fisheries (52 percent), than for the group as a whole.
"Despite mounting threats, sharks remain virtually unprotected on the
high seas," said Sonja Fordham, deputy chairwoman of the IUCN shark
specialist group. "The vulnerability and lengthy migrations of most
open ocean sharks call for coordinated, international conservation
plans. Our report documents serious overfishing of these species …
and demonstrates a clear need for immediate action on a global scale."
The report is available at
http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/ssg_pelagic_report_final.pdf.