More sharks on the Red List – Expert workshop releases findings
on the status of North and Central American shark and ray
populations 25 June 2004 | News story Gland, Switzerland, 25
June 2004 (IUCN - The World Conservation Union). The number of
species of sharks and rays on the IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species is set to grow. This was the finding of a week-long
expert workshop at Mote Marine Laboratory, Florida, to examine
the conservation status of the species found in North and
Central American waters. Workshop findings confirm the widely-
held belief that slow growing sharks and rays are exceptionally
vulnerable to over-fishing, but also reveal that species can
recover from depletion if strict management is imposed before
populations reach critical levels. The results highlight how
species can become endangered through incidental catch, without
being the target of fisheries. In many cases, species of “Least
Concern” in US waters still face serious threats from
unregulated fishing off Mexico and Central