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Half a century of rising extinction risk of coral reef sharks and rays

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journal contribution
posted on 2025-02-03, 03:55 authored by CS Sherman, Colin SimpfendorferColin Simpfendorfer, N Pacoureau, JH Matsushiba, HF Yan, RHL Walls, CL Rigby, WJ VanderWright, RW Jabado, RA Pollom, JK Carlson, P Charvet, AB Ali, F Fahmi, J Cheok, DH Derrick, KB Herman, B Finucci, TD Eddy, MLD Palomares, CG Avalos-Castillo, B Kinattumkara, M-D-P Blanco-Parra, D Dharmadi, M Espinoza, D Fernando, AB Haque, PA Mejia-Falla, AF Navia, JC Perez-Jimenez, J Utzurrum, RR Yuneni, NK Dulvy
Sharks and rays are key functional components of coral reef ecosystems, yet many populations of a few species exhibit signs of depletion and local extinctions. The question is whether these declines forewarn of a global extinction crisis. We use IUCN Red List to quantify the status, trajectory, and threats to all coral reef sharks and rays worldwide. Here, we show that nearly two-thirds (59%) of the 134 coral-reef associated shark and ray species are threatened with extinction. Alongside marine mammals, sharks and rays are among the most threatened groups found on coral reefs. Overfishing is the main cause of elevated extinction risk, compounded by climate change and habitat degradation. Risk is greatest for species that are larger-bodied (less resilient and higher trophic level), widely distributed across several national jurisdictions (subject to a patchwork of management), and in nations with greater fishing pressure and weaker governance. Population declines have occurred over more than half a century, with greatest declines prior to 2005. Immediate action through local protections, combined with broad-scale fisheries management and Marine Protected Areas, is required to avoid extinctions and the loss of critical ecosystem function condemning reefs to a loss of shark and ray biodiversity and ecosystem services, limiting livelihoods and food security.

History

Publication title

Nature Communications

Volume

14

Issue

1

Article number

15

Number

15

Pagination

1-11

ISSN

2041-1723

Department/School

Ecology and Biodiversity, Fisheries and Aquaculture

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Publication status

  • Published

Place of publication

United Kingdom

Rights statement

© 2023 The Author(s).This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Socio-economic Objectives

100305 Wild caught fin fish (excl. tuna), 180502 Assessment and management of pelagic marine ecosystems

UN Sustainable Development Goals

14 Life Below Water, 15 Life on Land, 13 Climate Action