Nearly 400 marine species are now at risk of extinction due to overfishing
A recent study reveals that around a third of all shark, sting ray and chimaera species included on the IUCN’s red list (International Union for Conservation of Nature) are now in danger of extinction due to overfishing.
The study was part of the Global Shark Trends project carried out by the IUCN and includes data from around 1,200 different species, of which 391 are now included in the extinction risk categories: 90 are Critically Endangered, 121 are Endangered and 180 are Vulnerable, as well as three species which are classified as possibly extinct, as no data has been recorded for over 80 years.
All of these species are at risk of extinction because of human activity, including overfishing, habitat destruction and climate change, and the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) has asked all national and regional governments to “act urgently to stop overfishing and prevent a global extinction crisis”.
The organization has also reminded the world that the reduction in the population, or possible extinction, of these species puts entire ocean ecosystems at risk, as well as damaging food sources and tourism attractions for many nations across the world.
The WWF organization proposes that the capture of the most vulnerable species is reduced to “virtually zero” and that rules and regulations are brought in for fishing other species to allow shark and sting ray populations to recover and avoid a potential mass extinction of vital species.
IMAGE: National Geographic
Source: Murcia Today
