Oceanic sharks and rays have declined by over 70 percent

Between 1970 and 2018, rays and sharks have significantly declined due to overfishing, with over three-quarters of shark species now threatened with extinction. A study in Nature highlights that out of 31 oceanic shark and ray species, three are critically endangered, 13 are endangered, and others are vulnerable or near threatened. Critically endangered species like the oceanic white tip shark have seen population declines of over 80%. However, some species, such as the great white shark, are recovering due to science-based catch limits. The study attributes these declines to long line fishing, which has increased twofold in the past 50 years, catching three times as many sharks.

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