Sharks Conservation Governance And Management

The key aim of this book is to explore the global conservation and management of sharks. There has been a rapid decline in populations of many shark species, while new science has emerged of the critical role they play in marine ecosystems. However, the authors show that conservation law and policy have been slow to develop, with only a small number of iconic species being protected worldwide. The increase in fishing impact – primarily through shark finning and by-catch - has led to shark conservation receiving greater international attention in recent years. The book explores our current knowledge and status of the law and science in relation to sharks with a particular focus on improving frameworks for their conservation and management. Recent trends are analysed, including shark finning bans that have been put in place in several countries, the widening number of nations establishing shark sanctuaries and the growth of shark-based tourism. The efficacy of current listing processes for endangered species and fisheries regulations is also examined. Tourism is explored as an alternative to fishing and the risks and impacts associated with this industry are analysed. Contributors include leading authorities from universities and conservation organizations in North America, Europe and Australia. A common theme is to emphasise the importance of collaborative governance between various interest groups and the need for inter-disciplinary research and management approaches that are necessary to address the decline in sharks.

In International Law of Sharks, Erika J. Techera and Natalie Klein provide an in-depth analysis of the current legal frameworks that relate to these important species. The authors offer ways in which to overcome obstacles that prevent existing laws from working better and identify best practice global governance options while highlighting opportunities for legal reform. Scientific evidence indicates that sharks play a critical role in maintaining marine ecosystem health, yet current governance regimes have not been effective and many shark species continue to diminish. In this context, effective laws are critical to improve sharks’ conservation status. This volume also explores the broader relevance of oceans governance by identifying appropriate legal frameworks and regulatory mechanisms that balance conservation and utilisation of marine species in general.

Northeast Pacific Shark Biology, Research and Conservation, Part A, Volume 77 highlights the biological attributes of, and the conservation efforts targeted at, populations of vulnerable sharks in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean bordering the west coast of the United States, one of the most economically and ecologically important oceanic regions in the world. Updates in this new volume include chapters on Biodiversity, Conservation and Life History of Northeastern Pacific Chondrichthyans, a Review of current genetic analyses of Northeast Pacific sharks and conservation implications, and a section on the Trophodynamics and ecological impacts of eastern North Pacific sharks. Brings together subject experts on all aspects of shark biology, ecology, fishery management and conservation Summarizes current knowledge Focuses scientific attention on key issues embedded in the concept of shark conservation, both from a species and an ecosystem perspective

The purpose of this document is to present Canada's national plan for the conservation and management of sharks and their long-term sustainable use. This document provides an overview of shark stocks in Canadian fisheries waters, identifies priorities for the NPOA (National Plan of Action), highlights Canada's current legislative framework and international commitments, and outlines current measures to monitor, assess and manage these populations and their related fisheries. Recommendations for possible enhancements to existing conservation and management practices are also presented.

Northeast Pacific Shark Biology, Research and Conservation, Part B, Volume 78, the latest release in the Advances in Marine Biology series contains updated chapters that focus on a variety of topics, including, but not limited to, an Introduction to Northeast Pacific shark biology, ecology, and conservation, Shark Interactions with Directed and Incidental Fisheries in the Northeast Pacific Ocean: historic and current encounters and challenges for shark conservation, An Introduction to modeling abundance and demographic parameters in shark populations, and Sharks in Captivity: The Role of Husbandry, Breeding, Education and Citizen Science in Shark Conservation. Specialty areas in this longstanding series include marine science, both applied and basic, a wide range of topical areas from all areas of marine ecology, oceanography, fisheries management and molecular biology, and the full range of geographic areas from polar seas, to tropical coral reefs are included making this an ideal reference and resource for postgraduates and researchers in a variety of fields. Reviews articles on the latest advances in marine biology Authored by leading figures in their respective fields of study Presents materials that are widely used by managers, students, and academic professionals in the marine sciences Provides value to anyone studying bottlenose dolphins, deep-sea macrofauna, marine invertebrates, pinna nobilis and ecology, amongst other study areas

This wholly new edition of the Handbook provides an authoritative examination of international law relating to the protection of the marine environment. Chapters critically engage with current legal issues surrounding activities that harm the marine environment, including marine pollution, seabed activities, exploitation of marine biodiversity and climate change, and with the different legal tools and mechanisms, including environmental impact assessments and compliance and dispute settlement mechanisms, used to protect the marine environment. New chapters also address legal issues relating to the role of technology and marine scientific research as well as the application of principles such as public participation. This title contains one or more Open Access chapters.

This book focuses on how marine systems respond to natural and anthropogenic perturbations (ENSO, overfishing, pollution, tourism, invasive species, climate-change). Authors explain in their chapters how this information can guide management and conservation actions to help orient and better manage, restore and sustain the ecosystems services and goods that are derived from the ocean, while considering the complex issues that affect the delicate nature of the Islands. This book will contribute to a new understanding of the Galapagos Islands and marine ecosystems.​

Some species and stocks of sharks, rays, skates, and chimaeras (termed shark in this review) are rapidly depleting due to climate change, land-based influences, and overfishing. These pressures, coupled with sharks’ low reproductive potential (slow growth and delayed maturation; long reproductive cycles; low fecundity; and long lifespans) place sharks in a risk profile that is more akin to mammals on land than fish in the ocean. The development of policy, and the delivery of management and conservation measures regulating the use, international trade, and capture of sharks (whether as a targeted species or as bycatch in fisheries), is hindered by gaps in basic knowledge – a knowledge that is required in order to get a clear sense of their status in real-time. Many countries are establishing or strengthening monitoring across shark value chains to overcome these shortfalls in information. This document reviews what shark fisheries data is being collected, highlighting the opportunities and constraints in collecting information on sharks in fisheries, based on practical experience. It includes information from 28 surveys across 19 countries: 9 in the Mediterranean, 5 in Africa, 3 in Asia, and 1 in Oceania. Interviews were conducted with data collectors and managers across the entirety of the survey process, while data collection variables were documented in order to inform those interested in the collection, provision, and exchange of shark information on common practices and their commonalities. The review identifies standardized information metrics which, if collected more generally, would strengthen the opportunity for harmonized reporting and cross-comparability across surveys. In addition – and in order to assess the status quo – the current data collection requirements of management measures applied to sharks by regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) were reviewed, including “no retention” measures. Finally, the review proposes a list of the minimum standard measurements and common life-history parameters required to support the assessment of shark stocks in fisheries.

Providing a comprehensive account of marine conservation, this book examines human use and abuse of the world's seas and oceans and their marine life, and the various approaches to management and conservation. Healthy marine ecosystems - the goods and services that they provide - are of vital importance to human wellbeing. There is a pressing need for a global synthesis of marine conservation issues and approaches. This book covers conservation issues pertinent to major groups of marine organisms, such as sharks, marine turtles, seabirds and marine mammals; key habitats, from estuaries, wetlands and coral reefs to the deep sea; and from local and regional to international initiatives in marine conservation. An ideal resource for students, researchers and conservation professionals, the book pays appropriate attention to the underlying marine biology and oceanography and how human activities impact marine ecosystems, enabling the reader to fully understand the context of conservation action and its rationale.