Extinction risk, reconstructed catches and management of chondrichthyan fishes in the Western Central Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Chondrichthyan fishes are among the most threatened vertebrates on the planet because many species have slow life histories that are outpaced by intense fishing. The Western Central Atlantic Ocean, which includes the Greater Caribbean, is a hotspot of chondrichthyan biodiversity and abundance, but has been characterized by extensive shark and ray fisheries and a lack of sufficient data for effective management and conservation. To inform future research and management decisions, we analysed patterns in chondrichthyan extinction risk, reconstructed catches and management engagement in this region. We summarized the extinction risk of 180 sharks, rays and chimaeras, including 66 endemic and 14 near-endemic species, using contemporary IUCN Red List assessments. Over one-third (35.6%) were assessed as Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered, primarily due to overfishing. Reconstructed catches from 1950 to 2016 peaked in 1992, then declined by 40.2% thereafter. The United States, Venezuela and Mexico were responsible for most catches in the region and hosted the largest proportions of the regional distributions of threatened species, largely due to having extensive coastal habitats in their Exclusive Economic Zones. The quantity and taxonomic resolution of fisheries landings data were poor in much of the region, and national-level regulations varied widely across jurisdictions. Deepwater fisheries represent an emerging threat, although many deepwater chondrichthyans currently have refuge beyond the depths of most fisheries. Regional collaboration as well as effective and enforceable management informed by more complete fisheries data, particularly from small-scale fisheries, are required to protect and recover threatened species and ensure sustainable fisheries.

Perceptions regarding the recreational cobia fishery in relation to manta ray conservation

“…Fisheries modelling of shark and ray species is particularly complex due to their general life history traits (e.g. late age‐at‐maturity, production of relatively few offspring) which create vulnerability to overfishing, a lack of available data on many species, unreliable harvest reports, wide range of habitats and the economic importance of these fisheries (Bangley & Shiffman, 2014; Blasco et al, 2020; Dulvy et al, 2014a; Dulvy et al, 2014b; Talwar et al, 2022). There is also evidence that many fisheries stock assessments for chondrichthyans are likely underestimating threats and subsequently misrepresenting risks of extinction (Bangley & Shiffman, 2014).…”

Insights into the Relative Abundance, Life History, and Ecology of Oceanic Sharks in the Eastern Bahamas

“…The Bahamas protected oceanic sharks from large-scale fishing by prohibiting longlining in 1993 and shark fishing in 2011 [34]. The Bahamas also participated in the international management of trade in oceanic shark species by supporting proposals that successfully listed the oceanic whitetip shark and silky shark on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES; CoP16 Prop.…”

Conservation successes and challenges for wide-ranging sharks and rays

“…For example, Brazil and Mexico have large and growing economies but have lower engagement in fisheries management than the United States—although all maintain intense fishing pressure ( 11 , 29 – 31 ). The Western Central Atlantic (FAO region 31) also encompasses small island developing states with fisheries targeting sharks and rays and low management capacity ( 32 ).…”