Extinction risk and conservation of the world’s sharks and rays

The rapid expansion of human activities threatens ocean-wide biodiversity. Numerous marine animal populations have declined, yet it remains unclear whether these trends are symptomatic of a chronic accumulation of global marine extinction risk. We present the first systematic analysis of threat for a globally distributed lineage of 1,041 chondrichthyan fishes-sharks, rays, and chimaeras. We estimate that one-quarter are threatened according to IUCN Red List criteria due to overfishing (targeted and incidental). Large-bodied, shallow-water species are at greatest risk and five out of the seven most threatened families are rays. Overall chondrichthyan extinction risk is substantially higher than for most other…

• DA
  David and Lucile Packard Foundation
• UD
  U.S. Department of Commerce
• PC
  Pew Charitable Trusts
• OF
  Oak Foundation
• CI
  Conservation International
• ZS
  Zoological Society of London
• DF
  Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK Government
• SR
  Sight Research UK

  Award: bas0100025
• CR
  Canada Research Chairs
• MB
  Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund
• CZ
  Chester Zoo
• SO
  Save Our Seas Foundation
• NE
  Natural Environment Research Council

  Award: bas0100025