The latest scientific findings reveal that global shark populations are on the decline, despite the protective arm of government efforts. Florida appears to be an exception.
The recent study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Science, looked in-depth at the effects of the world’s fisheries and the overexploitation of sharks.
Over the past 20 years, the steep decrease in sharks was subject to severe scrutiny and, as a result, led nations worldwide to enact regulations and fishing bans in an effort to save the nearly 500 species of sharks worldwide.
However, these steps have led to surprisingly undesired results, with “total fishing mortality [increasing] from at least 76 to 80 million sharks between 2012 and 2019, ~25 million of which were threatened species,” according to the study.
Despite this, Florida’s efforts and commitment to regulating and protecting shark species is starting to pay off.
Florida employs several different mandates to curb the number of sharks being fished.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,some of these mandates include limiting the harvesting of sharks to one per person per day and two per vessel; requiring different permits including ones for selling and purchasing sharks; allowing only the use of a rod and reel; and listing 25 shark species that are, “prohibited from all harvest, possession, landing, purchase, sale or exchange.”
While it is difficult to quantify shark populations, locals and experts are seeing a rebound.
Capt. Brad Ecklof, who operates the fishing charter Amelia Backwater Fishing Co. in Fernandina Beach, can see the difference: “Definitely, I’d say there’s increase more than a decrease.”
“We’re actually having problems with sharks eating what we’re catching,” Ecklof added.
The researchers behind the article concluded that increased regulations and measures have also inadvertently increased the demand for shark meat and fins.
The enforcement of measures that Florida and the rest of the U.S. take makes such practices difficult.
“Enforcement and legislation have kind of brought shark populations back up in the U.S.,” said Valerie Hagan, a biologist working towards shark conservation at the Mote Marine Laboratory.
Hagan explained that countries typically can pick and choose what sorts of regulations work for them and their fisheries, such as marine protected areas or implementing fishing seasons.
Each individual state also has the ability to apply their own measures.
One of these listed species is the sandbar shark, which had severe population decline, as Hagan explains. However, because fishermen were forced to release these sharks, their populations have seen some recovery in recent years.
Despite the work that Florida has done to save their shark species, some areas are overlooked, and more action can be taken.
“Shark fishing tournaments still happen, which are not great. The government doesn't condone them, but they do have to allow them to happen if they're not breaking any specific laws,” Hagan said.
Hagan also said she believes that more funds can go a long way in looking at which species may need special protection.
“I don’t know how many [species are] in Florida, but there are a ton of Requiem sharks, and that family includes 65 species,” Hagan said, “so let’s just say about 100 species could touch Florida, a lot of which are data deficient.”
Mote Marine runs the world’s largest shark survey collaborating with nearly 60 countries worldwide in an attempt to quantify shark populations and monitor their health.
However, Hagan emphasized that closing these information gaps is very useful in protecting sharks, but it unfortunately costs a lot of money to accomplish.
In 2019, Mote Marine reported that the total cost for a project studying highly migratory sharks in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico was $600,000 for one year.
Globally, shark populations are navigating treacherous water, but Florida’s efforts are a testament that protection is possible. Nevertheless, ocean conservation remains unfinished.