International Concern for Oceanic Sharks

In February 2007 the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) suggested that several pelagic shark species were considered ‘Threatened'’ on global scales. As a result, all species of thresher, porbeagle and shortfin mako shark were upgraded to the ‘Vulnerable’ category on the IUCN Redlist of Threatened species. Scientists around the world have been working on these sharks for some time, yet there is still limited information available with which to assess their status as they are highly mobile and difficult to study. Some of the reasons these sharks are considered Threatened' throughout the world, include the activities that human beings undertake that impact the individuals and the places where they live. For example, mako sharks are taken as bycatch by commercial fisheries. In some countries, commercial fisheries target these species specifically for their fins and flesh as finfish species have been heavily depleted.

Despite their high media profile, there is minimal published information on the total annual catch of these sharks by commercial, recreational, charter and tournament anglers in Australia. There is also limited species specific information on target catch and/or bycatch or discarding of these species by fisheries. Therefore, it is uncertain if all the fisheries combined are taking too many, or if the numbers captured are acceptable and sustainable. In some countries, commercial fisheries target these species specifically for their fins and flesh.