How do sharks and tuna react to being caught by hook-and-line and then released? Well, they swim twice as fast as their normal cruising speed, according tot researchers at The Royal Society. Sharks and tuna normally swim at elevated speeds relative to cruising speeds only during strenuous activity, such asContinue Reading
HONOLULU (HAWAII)- Environmental law organization Earthjustice, based in Hawaii, has filed a federal lawsuit this week on behalf of a local conservation group and individuals to enforce protections for Oceanic Whitetip Sharks, a dwindling shark species that has roamed the oceans for millions of years. It is the second lawsuit in a monthContinue Reading
GANDHINAGAR (INDIA)- Parties at the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP13) to the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) came to an agreement to put in place strict protection measures for a number of threatened species including the Oceanic whitetip shark, as well as the jaguar andContinue Reading
King of the open seas, the Oceanic Whitetip Shark was once extremely common and widely distributed in the warmer oceans around the world. This slow-moving and inquisitive shark cruises slowly along the top of the water column looking to spot prey. Now it is on the brink of extinction inContinue Reading
SOUTHAMPTON (UK)- The climate is changing – and so are our seas. Warming sea temperatures have resulted in British cod moving north, benefiting Iceland. The English Channel has warmed during the last half century and the grey Atlantic triggerfish is now a year-round, rather than just a summer, resident inContinue Reading
WASHINGTON (USA)— The US National Marine Fisheries Service this week protected the oceanic whitetip shark as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The decision recognized threats from overfishing and bycatch in pelagic longline fishing gear as major reasons for drastic population declines. The listing responds to a petition from Defenders of Wildlife, with supportContinue Reading
MIAMI (USA)- An important first step was taken towards the regional protection of sharks throughout the Caribbean. At the request of the Netherlands, regional governments last week recommended eight species of sharks and rays for protection under the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol. Delegates from 14 Caribbean countriesContinue Reading