The Mediterranean: the most dangerous place for sharks

Welcome to Discovery Channel's Shark Week Conservation Blog!  I'm Sonja Fordham, director of the Shark Conservation Program for Ocean Conservancy (www.oceanconservancy.org), and for the next two weeks, I'll be posting updates and information on shark conservation and related science.  I hope you'll join in by posting your questions and opinions on shark conservation.

I thought it was fitting to start this blog series during my visit to the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea.  The Mediterranean has recently been dubbed "the most dangerous place in the world ... if you're a shark."  Hope lies in encouraging Malta, already a leader in regional shark conservation, to seize opportunities to promote greater protection for the region's sharks. 

Quick Stats:

• Last year, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) reported that 42 percent of the sharks and rays in the Mediterranean are threatened with extinction (www.iucn.org).  This percentage is higher than those for all other regions assessed around the world. 

• Last month, the Lenfest Ocean Program (www.lenfestocean.org) released scientists’ findings that several Mediterranean sharks (makos, hammerheads, porbeagles, threshers and blue sharks) have declined by 97 to 99 percent.  There are no catch limits in the Mediterranean for these commercially valuable sharks. 

• In fact, Malta is the only EU country on the Mediterranean to provide any protection for Mediterranean sharks (great white and basking sharks), thanks in large part to efforts of the “Sharkman of Malta” (www.sharkmans-world.com). 

The situation for Mediterranean sharks is clearly awful, but there has never been greater opportunity for change.  Mediterranean countries, particularly members of the European Union, have tools to improve the situation.   For starters, the EU is now developing a Plan of Action for Sharks that can set the stage for widespread improvements in EU shark policies.  There are also a variety of regional agreements that can spark conservation actions for sharks, if prompted by countries like Malta.   Check out www.sharkalliance.org to learn more about how you can help save Mediterranean sharks, and tune in again over the next two weeks for news on shark conservation in other regions of the world.

Also, feel free to post questions and comments about shark conservation. I will try to respond to one or two each day.

PHOTO: Blue shark in waters off San Clemente Island, California. (Photo by (c) Joshua Singer/ Getty Images)

Post your questions for Sonja in the Comments section below.  She will be checking in to give you answers.

Comments

[Spencer]

How can I get involved and help shark conservation?

[basketshark78]

I have been a shark enthusiast since I was a little girl. I have been studing them for a long time. What can I do to get involved in helping save them?

[Cherry]

Did you go to Greenland with the Dirty Jobs crew as a consultant ?

Thanks for writing this blog. I love sharks

[Christina]

I'm with basketshark78. I have always been interested in sharks and would like to learn more on how to protect and save them. I would like to help in other ways instead of just donating money to an organization, since I don't have much to donate. What else can I can I do to help with shark conservation?

[melanie marks]

One of the most important thing that we can all do to save sharks is to choose sustainably caught seafood. What’s sustainable seafood? It’s seafood that is harvested without the accidental killing (known as bycatch) of sharks, sea turtles, dolphins and other marine animals and birds. Find out which fish are sustainably caught at www.blueocean.org/seafood or www.edf.org/seafood.

Cheers, Melanie
President, Shark Trust Wines
www.sharktrustwines.com
Saving Sharks One Glass at a Time

[Kyuzo]

Regarding recent legislation passed here in the U.S. as well as legislative efforts abroad; what measures are in place to ensure protection laws are enforced? Getting new laws passed to protect sharks and everything else in the oceans are a huge victory, but enforcing legislation is obviously key, partiuclarly when one looks at commercial fishing operations in other parts of the world.

On a seperate note, I think everyone working for the variety of shark and ocean conservation organizations is doing an outstanding job and I wish you all continued success in creating greater public awareness of the issues.

[Gina]

can we look forward to seeing anything in the works as far as the game Deadiest Catch in the future????????????

[Lisa]

will we see the game Deadliest Catch for the WII anytime soon.

[Fasly]

Is there any conservation programme active in Sri Lanka? I have been a shark fan as lond as I know and would like to assist in whatever possible way in any consevation programme.

[DEE]

I would like to know if drilling for OIL in our now protected Florida wildlife refuge would effect coral,sharks, & other underwater inhabitants.The spill recently in New Orleans scared me, especially since the US is talking about doing so. I live in Florida. Are there any specials scheduled to discuss this?

[Fred Smilek]

I think that Malta is setting an excellent example for the rest of the region.

Fred Smilek

Email- Fred_Smilek@yahoo.com
Webpage- http://sites.google.com/site/fredjsmilek/

Fred Smilek is the acting president of the Society to Save Endangered Species. It was founded two years ago by Fred Smilek along with his two best friends Charles and Jonathan.