{"id":39229,"date":"2013-03-03T15:40:37","date_gmt":"2013-03-03T20:40:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/planetsave.com\/?p=35020"},"modified":"2013-03-03T15:40:37","modified_gmt":"2013-03-03T20:40:37","slug":"sharks-may-go-extinct-within-the-next-few-decades-100-million-sharks-killed-every-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/planetsave.com\/articles\/sharks-may-go-extinct-within-the-next-few-decades-100-million-sharks-killed-every-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Sharks May Go Extinct Within The Next Few Decades, 100 Million Sharks Killed Every Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sharks may become extinct within only the next few decades as a result of the significant declines they are experiencing, new research has found. Shark populations have been declining at a rapid rate as a result of the booming trade in their fins, recreational fishing, and being caught as by-catch in other forms of fishing. The current rate is at 100 million, or possibly more, sharks being killed every year. When this is combined with their very slow growth and reproduction rates, it’s having a devastating effect on the animals.<\/p>\n

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“Sharks have persisted for at least 400 million years and are one of the oldest vertebrate groups on the planet. However, these predators are experiencing population declines significant enough to cause global concern,” states lead author Boris Worm, professor of biology at Dalhousie.<\/p>\n

The new study, titled, “Global Catches, Exploitation Rates and Rebuilding Options for Sharks<\/em>,” features accurate calculations on total yearly shark death rates, and offers possible solutions, because of a collaboration between researchers at Dalhousie University, the University of Windsor, Stony Brook University, Florida International University and the University of Miami.<\/p>\n