Sharks, a symbol of fear for humans, are now facing global extinction, largely due to overfishing.
A team led by researchers has discovered that shark populations are declining at a rapid pace and that simply releasing captured sharks will not be enough to halt the decline.
The findings, published in Fish and Fisheries, highlight the importance of monitoring shark populations and combining different strategies to manage their numbers.
While some fisheries rely on sharks for their products, the risk of extinction is much greater.
More than half of sharks caught in fishing nets are accidentally caught and die. And then they are discarded, said study co-author Darcy Bradley.
