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Half a Million Sharks Finned Each Year in Ecuador

By jjacquet on December 17, 2008.

I am the lead author of a new study In Hot Soup: Sharks Captured in Ecuador's Waters out in the journal Environmental Sciences. We reconstructed the shark landings for Ecuador from 1976 to 2004 and demonstrated that Ecuador captures more than 3.5 times the number of sharks they officially report catching--or about half a million sharks each year.

The shark fishery of Ecuador is one of many around the world that feeds the growing Asian demand for sharkfin soup. Fishermen catch more than 40 different shark species and one need only visit a few of the fishing ports along the coast to see shark finning in full effect (such as these juvenile hammerheads captured off Santa Rosa).

i-f5bbac26c6aa1a31b733b3d1331e56aa-Fig_Hammerheads.jpg

i-f49ef0bfce9cff3f443bd4d8d76e265f-Fig_finnedhammers.jpg

Yet, until the 2005 update of fisheries data, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) did not report elasmobranches for Ecuador, indicating that the Ecuadorian government failed to report on these species, probably in part due to the scandalous nature of the shark fin industry.

Our study reconstructed Ecuador's mainland shark landings from the bottom up from 1979 to 2004 using gray literature and shark fin export data. Over this period, shark landings for the Ecuadorian mainland were an estimated 7000 tonnes per year, or nearly half a million sharks. Reconstructed shark landings were about 3.6 times greater than those retroactively reported by FAO from 1991 to 2004.

The discrepancies in data require the urgent implementation of the measures Ecuadorian law mandates: eliminating targeted shark captures, finning, and transshipments, as well as adoption of measures to minimize incidental capture. Most of all, a serious shark landings monitoring system and effective chain of custody standards are needed.

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Not having read your paper on Ecuador's shark fishery, I don't know the details of the fishery. But I'm betting it is one of those data-poor small-scale fisheries that you and Pauly characterized as "our best option for sustainable use of fisheries resources" in a recent Conservation Biology paper (Funding Priorities: Big Barries to Small-Scale Fisheries). I share your frustration with the bias of subsidies and certification programs toward large-scale fisheries, and it seems intuitive that small-scale fisheries are more sustainable than large-scale ones, but I struggle to reconcile the examples such as this shark fishery in Ecuador with the idea that smaller is better for the fish.

I recently saw a program on squid coming more to the surface and spreading northwards along the South and North American coasts. Could it be that the squid are moving up from the lower depths because the sharks just aren't there any more in the upper waters?

I recently saw a program on squid coming more to the surface and spreading northwards along the South and North American coasts. Could it be that the squid are moving up from the lower depths because the sharks just aren't there any more in the upper waters?

recently saw a program on squid coming more to the surface and spreading northwards along the South and North American coasts. Could it be that the squid are moving up from menitoree senaa

Not having read your paper on Ecuador's shark fishery, I don't know the details of the fishery. But I'm betting it is one of those data-poor small-scale fisheries that you and Pauly characterized as "our besti top model

Could it be that the squid are moving up from the lower depths because the sharks just aren't there any more in the upper waters.those retroactively reported ..bad.

ecently saw a program on squid coming more to the surface and spreading northwards along the South and North American coasts. Could it be that the squid are moving up from menitoree senaa

recently saw a program on squid coming more to the surface and spreading northwards along the South and North American coasts. Could it be that the squid are moving up from menitoree senaa

Not having read your paper on Ecuador's shark fishery, I don't know the details of the fishery. But I'm betting it is one of those data-poor small-scale fisheries that you and Pauly characterized as "our besti top model

Shark finning will remove the top predator from teh ocean's food chain over the next few years unless Asia stops this cruel and senseless slaughtering. That in turn would lead to lower forms like algae to grow uncontrollably and your entire fisheries would go down the drain.

INFORM YOURSELF AND STOP EATING A TASTELESS PIECE OF "SEAFOOD" that leaves sharks in agonizing pain. You would not do this to Dolphins (oh wait, the Japanese do!).

http://www.shark-fin-soup.asia

I recently saw a program on squid coming more to the surface and spreading northwards along the South and North American coasts. Could it be that the squid are moving up from the lower depths because the sharks just aren't there any more in the upper waters?

Am I the only one that doesnt know what the "DI" is? Could someone elaborate, I feel like I should know, but I dont

Darwin had another reason for highlighting the woodpecker. The woodpecker's tongue was one of the examples used in William Paley's 'Natural Theology' to show that evolution, in the form proposed by Charles's grandfather Erasmus Darwin, could not explain adaptations. Charles was very familiar with Paley's work, and his own theory of natural selection is aimed at showing that adaptations of the kind discussed by Paley do not need to be explained by 'intelligent design'

As one who is chronically unable to get words down (must speak with my shrink), I thought must make an exception and thank you for this excellent commentary.

Charles was very familiar with Paley's work, and his own theory of natural selection is aimed at showing that adaptations of the kind discussed by Paley do not need to be explained by 'intelligent design' tanx see you later

Asia stops this cruel and senseless slaughtering. That in turn would lead to lower forms like algae to grow uncontrollably and your entire fisheries would go down the drain.tahnks

That in turn would lead to lower forms like algae to grow uncontrollably and your entire fisheries would go down the drain.Thanks Nice Post

Am I the only one that doesnt know what the "DI" is? Could someone elaborate, I feel like I should know, but I dont

Am I the only one that doesnt know what the "DI" is? Could someone elaborate, I feel like I should know, but I dont

Am I the only one that doesnt know what the "DI" is? Could someone elaborate, I feel like I should know, but I dont

Darwin had another reason for highlighting the woodpecker. The woodpecker's tongue was one of the examples used in William Paley's 'Natural Theology' to show that evolution, in the form proposed by Charles's grandfather Erasmus Darwin, could not explain adaptations. Charles was very familiar with Paley's work, and his own theory of natural selection is aimed at showing that adaptations of the kind discussed by Paley do not need to be explained by 'intelligent design'

I recently saw a program on squid coming more to the surface and spreading northwards along the South and North American coasts. Could it be that the squid are moving up from the lower depths because the sharks just aren't there any more in the upper waters?

Could it be that the squid are moving up from the lower depths because the sharks just aren't there any more in the upper waters?

Charles was very familiar with Paley's work, and his own theory of natural selection is aimed at showing that adaptations of the kind discussed by Paley do not need to be explained by 'intelligent design'nice.

In terms of settling on a baseline, there are science-based data to consider in addition to value judgments.

By helly toms (not verified) on 14 Aug 2010 #permalink

The shark fishery of Ecuador is one of many around the world that feeds the growing Asian demand for sharkfin soup. Fishermen catch more than 40 different shark species and one need only visit a few of the fishing ports along the coast to see shark finning in full effect (such as these juvenile hammerheads captured off Santa Rosa).

Asia stops this cruel and senseless slaughtering. That in turn would lead to lower forms like algae to grow uncontrollably and your entire fisheries would go down the drain.tahnks

Darwin had another reason for highlighting the woodpecker. The woodpecker's tongue was one of the examples used in William Paley's 'Natural Theology' to show that evolution, in the form proposed by Charles's grandfather Erasmus Darwin, could not explain adaptations. Charles was very familiar with Paley's work, and his own theory of natural selection is aimed at showing that adaptations of the kind discussed by Paley do not need to be explained by 'intelligent design'

Darwin had another reason for highlighting the woodpecker. The woodpecker's tongue was one of the examples used in William Paley's 'Natural Theology' to show that evolution, in the form proposed by Charles's grandfather Erasmus Darwin, could not explain adaptations. Charles was very familiar with Paley's work, and his own theory of natural selection is aimed at showing that adaptations of the kind discussed by Paley do not need to be explained by 'intelligent design'good

Asia stops this cruel and senseless slaughtering. That in turn would lead to lower forms like algae to grow uncontrollably and your entire fisheries would go down the drain.tahnks

Such a huge number of sharks - it's an anomaly of nature. What is the reason,
I ask, I answer to you our actions. The man has completely changed the planet. It is a pity that a lot of what we changed, we can not turn up earlier.

Asia stops this cruel and senseless slaughtering. That in turn would lead to lower forms like algae to grow uncontrollably and your entire fisheries would go down the drain.tahnks

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