Abstract
Sharks serve invaluable roles as apex predators in the world's ocean ecosystems. However, the rise of the shark fin trade and incidental bycatch have drastically eliminated shark populations so that several species are close to extinction. Without substantial upgrades to existing international frameworks including CITES, CMS, and IPOA-Sharks, and regulatory bodies such as RFMOs, shark populations may pass beyond recovery. However, strengthening those regulations, along with expanding the U.S.'s role as a leader in shark conservation carries significant potential in protecting shark populations. Lastly, governments and conservation entities must substantially increase research and public awareness regarding the issue to ensure that there is the data and political will to serve as the foundation for the new age of shark conservation.
Citation
Emma Shahabi,
We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat: The Importance of
Increased Shark Conservation Across Countries, States,
and the High Seas,
33 Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum
45-76
(2024)
Available at: https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/delpf/vol33/iss2/2