One Quarter of Sharks and Stingrays to Face Extinction within Few Decades: IUCN

One-quarter of all stingrays and sharks are at risk of extinction within the next few decades, according to a latest assessment.

The Shark Specialist Group (SSG) at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conducted the first study to systematically assess the status of 1,041 sharks, rays and chimaeras which are known as the cartilaginous fish.

The survey revealed that one-quarter of the known sharks i.e. 249 out of 1,041, rays and chimaeras species globally come under the three threatened categories on the IUCN Red List. 

"We now know that many species of sharks and rays, not just the charismatic white sharks, face extinction across the ice-free seas of the world," co-chaired by Nick Dulvy, a Simon Fraser University (SFU) Canada Research Chair in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation in British Columbia, said in a release. "There are no real sanctuaries for sharks where they are safe from overfishing."

At 17 workshops held over two decades involving nearly 300 experts, the authors had applied the IUCN red list categories and criteria to 1,041 species that included details on population trends, threats, conservation measures and a few more.

The analysis revealed that sharks and rays face a greater risk of extinction when compared to other animals. Nearly 107 species of ray and 74 species of sharks were considered as threatened whereas just 23 percent were regarded as least concern species.

Two main hotspots were traced that contribute to the depletion of shark and ray populations. One is the Indo-Pacific (the Gulf of Thailand) , the Red and the Mediterranean Sea.

"In the most peril are the largest species of rays and sharks, especially those living in relatively shallow water that is accessible to fisheries. The combined effects of overexploitation-especially for the lucrative shark fin soup market-and habit degradation are most severe for the 90 species found in freshwater," said Dulvy.

Without strict measures, these creatures could soon be lost forever. Through this finding, the IUCN SSG is suggesting the government to take measures to protect the sharks, rays and chimaeras.

The findings are published in eLife journal.