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Sharks

Sharks are part of the class Chondrichthyes, which also includes rays and skates. Within this diverse group, sharks encompass over 500 species distinguished by their cartilaginous skeletons, multiple rows of sharp teeth, and finely tuned senses that make them highly effective predators across a wide range of ocean habitats.

Sharks are critical signals of the health of our oceans. Yet decades of exploitation, slow recovery rates, and ineffective oversight have left many sharks in crisis–50% of shark species are threatened or near threatened with extinction. Wild Oceans advances shark conservation by fighting for science-based catch limits, banning finning, reducing bycatch, and supporting international action to rebuild depleted populations before it’s too late.

Shark Management

Sharks are managed through a combination of domestic and international frameworks due to their highly migratory nature. In the US, shark management falls under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and is primarily overseen by NOAA Fisheries. US management focuses on sustainable harvest limits, gear restrictions, time/area closures, and recreational reporting.

Internationally, sharks are managed through Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), such as the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). These bodies set quotas, monitor stock status, and enforce conservation measures across national jurisdictions. Key provisions include catch limits, observer programs, and minimum size limits to promote healthy stocks. Since the 1970s Wild Oceans has been a strong advocate through board members, presidents, and staff representing the US. in the RMFO arenas.

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A Voice for Sharks

Wild Oceans supports shark conservation with strategic advocacy campaigns. A key piece of these campaigns are comment and sign-on letters, which are timely written public statements on specific regulations, agenda items, and initiatives that a fishery regulation organization is actively considering. These letters are where we make the case to managers for keeping the oceans wild. See our shark comment letters below!

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