https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1058&context=bio_fac

Inaccurate and Biased Global Media Coverage Underlies Public Misunderstanding of Shark Conservation Threats and Solutions

Over the past 4 decades there has been a growing concern for the conservation status of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays). In 2002, the first elasmobranch species were added to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Less than 20 yr later, there were 39 species on Appendix II and 5 on Appendix I. Despite growing concern, effective conservation and management remain challenged by a lack of data on population status for many species, human−wildlife interactions, threats to population viability, and the efficacy of conservation approaches. We surveyed 100 of the most frequently published and cited experts on elasmobranchs and, based on ranked responses, prioritized 20 research questions on elasmobranch conservation. To address these questions, we then convened a group of 47 experts from 35 institutions and 12 countries. The 20 questions were organized into the following broad categories: (1) status and threats, (2) population and ecology, and (3) conservation and management. For each section, we sought to synthesize existing knowledge, describe consensus or diverging views, identify gaps, and suggest promising future directions and research priorities. The resulting synthesis aggregates an array of perspectives on emergent research and priority directions for elasmobranch conservation. 

Emergent research and priorities for shark and ray conservation

Ghosts of the deep – Biodiversity, fisheries, and extinction risk of ghost sharks

The Epaulette sharks (or walking sharks) in the genus Hemiscyllium comprise nine species, of which two are classified as Near Threatened and five as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Here, we summarize the current taxonomy, biology, IUCN Red List status, threats, and conservation status of the Epaulette sharks. We find that the Epaulette sharks are facing direct threats from local, small-scale fisheries and indirect threats of habitat loss and degradation from climate change, coastal development, and industrial effluents. Many species benefit from protection in the extensive Marine Protected Areas in the Raja Ampat region. But in order to effectively conserve this unique radiation of sharks, priority must be placed on protecting the shallow near-shore habitats where they live and carefully managing the small-scale fisheries that have the potential to cause local extinction due to low population numbers and extremely restricted geographic ranges.

Extinction Risk and the Small Population Paradigm in the Micro-Endemic Radiation of Epaulette Sharks

The Epaulette sharks (or walking sharks) in the genus Hemiscyllium comprise nine species, of which two are classified as Near Threatened and five as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Here, we summarize the current taxonomy, biology, IUCN Red List status, threats, and conservation status of the Epaulette sharks. We find that the Epaulette sharks are facing direct threats from local, small-scale fisheries and indirect threats of habitat loss and degradation from climate change, coastal development, and industrial effluents. Many species benefit from protection in the extensive Marine Protected Areas in the Raja Ampat region. But in order to effectively conserve this unique radiation of sharks, priority must be placed on protecting the shallow near-shore habitats where they live and carefully managing the small-scale fisheries that have the potential to cause local extinction due to low population numbers and extremely restricted geographic ranges. The Epaulette sharks (or walking sharks) in the genus Hemiscyllium comprise nine species, of which two are classified as Near Threatened and five as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Here, we summarize the current taxonomy, biology, IUCN Red List status, threats, and conservation status of the Epaulette sharks. We find that the Epaulette sharks are facing direct threats from local, small-scale fisheries and indirect threats of habitat loss and degradation from climate change, coastal development, and industrial effluents. 

Given the conservation status and ecological, cultural, and commercial importance of chondrichthyan fishes, it is valuable to evaluate the extent to which research attention is spread across taxa and geographic locations and to assess the degree to which scientific research is appropriately addressing the challenges they face. Here we review trends in research effort over three decades (1985–2016) through content analysis of every abstract (n = 2,701) presented at the annual conference of the American Elasmobranch Society (AES), the oldest and largest professional society focused on the scientific study and management of these fishes. The most common research areas of AES abstracts were reproductive biology, movement/telemetry, age and growth, population genetics, and diet/feeding ecology, with different areas of focus for different study species or families. The most commonly studied species were large and charismatic (e.g., White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias), easily accessible to long-term established field research programs (e.g., Lemon Shark, Negaprion brevirostris, and Sandbar Shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus), or easily kept in aquaria for lab-based research (e.g., Bonnethead Shark, Sphyrna tiburo). Nearly 90% of all described chondrichthyan species have never been mentioned in an AES abstract, including some of the most threatened species in the Americas. The proportion of female* first authors has increased over time, though many current female* Society members are graduate students. Nearly half of all research presented at AES occurred in the waters of the United States rather than in the waters of developing nations where there are more threatened species and few resources for research or management. Presentations based on research areas such as paleontology and aquarium-based research have declined in frequency over time, and identified research priorities such as social science and interdisciplinary research are poorly represented. Possible research gaps and future research priorities for the study of chondrichthyan fishes are also discussed.

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E. W. M. Paig-Tran

Papers

Trends in Chondrichthyan Research: An Analysis of Three Decades of Conference Abstracts