It's a Big Problem

Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
(Photo courtesy www.sharkireland.com)

The Basking Shark is endangered in the Pacific and in trouble in the Atlantic (COSEWIC 2007, listed as vulnerable by the IUCN) and is little known by most humans. A call to our lab to determine which “sea monster” carcass had washed up on a Nova Scotia shore had us discover a Basking Shark that had apparently died at sea.

These gentle giants can grow up to 15 metres in length and have the longest known gestation period of any vertebrate (up to 3.5 years!), so replacement is low. Despite their size, I think Basking Sharks are pretty cute. First, they’re filter feeders, so the fear factor is totally related to being humungous and able to knock your head off with a casual flip of the tail. Second, their rounded noses make them look a bit more like a seal than a shark. Unfortunately, they can become tangled in nets and fishing lines or hit by ships as they cruise near the surface of the water, feeding on the rich biodiversity of plankton there.

I’ve been up close and personal with a lot of Atlantic sharks, and their sheer bulk makes them seem invincible. They aren’t. In the pacific, the situation is even worse.

What can you do to help them out? As with any ocean fish, this is a tough question. Avoiding cruise ships is a good first step, but minimizing your contribution to water pollution (salts, fertilizers, sewage? learn more here) and eating a vegetarian diet (slower global warming and no nets or lines to tangle or maim non-target species) are even better. Finally, tell your friends! We’re the species responsible for their decline, so we can certainly act to change that.

Endangered Eating - Phillipine Dish of the Day

Giant Grouper
Dwarf Pygmy Goby
Whale Shark
Basking Shark
Zebra Shark
Big-eye Tuna
Blue-fin Tuna
Giant Manta Ray
Sea Turtles
Whale
Dolphin

These are just a few of the endangered species that are found on the menus of many restaurants in Manila. Although it is illegal both within the country and internationally to harvest, sell, or trade these species, they continue to persist in restaurants in the Phillipines. With 40 million Phillipinos relying on seafood as a primary part of their diet, and unchecked poaching, barely 1% of the countries reefs remain in pristine condition.

Here's a story about some poachers who may be getting off too easy.

Endangered Eating - Fish and Chips

Spiny Dogfish (Squalus acanthias)
Porbeagle (Lamna nasus)

What do Schillerlocken, Saumonette, Fish and Chips, Zeepaling, and Rock Salmon have in common? All of them are foods made from the meat of the Spiny Dogfish, a species of shark listed as Vulnerable, on the IUCN’s Redlist of Endangered Species.

In Germany, Schillerlocken is a smoked meat delicacy. In France, it is sold as saumonette, which translates to little salmon. In the UK, order some Fish and Chips, and Rock Salmon, another name for the shark, is what you’ll get. Or go to Belgium and dine on zeepaling, aka sea eel. Another way to enjoy this endangered species is as shark fin soup in Chinese cuisine.

Another shark, the Porbeagle (also listed as Vulnerable on the Redlist), is eaten fresh, frozen, dried, and salted throughout Europe. Both species are declining, mainly as a result of overfishing to meet demand.

A proposal is being spearheaded by the German government, to add these two species to Appendix II of the CITES agreement, which would require that international trade in these species be sustainable and non-detrimental to the species or their ecosystems. However, the success of the proposal is questionable, as it requires the support of the rest of the EU member countries.

Help spread the word about the dangers of overfishing sharks through the Shark Alliance, or donate to Oceana, an organization active in preserving many ocean species, including sharks.


References here, here, here, and here. And here and here.

Rays of Love

Shark Ray (Rhina ancylostoma), Vulnerable

The Newport Aquarium in Kentucky has acquired a male Shark Ray, hoping that it will mate with Sweet Pea, their female Shark Ray. Curiously, it's not known exactly how the Rays mate, as they have horny ridges on their neck and back, a dorsal fin and rounded undersides. The Shark Ray is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN's Redlist.

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