John Yeld
February 26, 2008
Independent OnLine, South Africa

The increasing international demand for shark meat and shark fins, which is pushing some species towards extinction, has caught marine scientists and managers by surprise, says one of Cape Town's few shark scientists.

"We just weren't ready to deal with the situation," says Alison Kock, a PhD student who is researching False Bay's Great Whites and who works at the Shark Research Centre at the Iziko Museum.

"Regulations either aren't in place or are not effective in conserving most species."

A particular area of concern is Mozambique, where levels of exploitation of many shark species is substantially higher than on the South African coast but where enforcement capacity is limited, says Geremy Cliff of the Natal Sharks Board. Tanzania is also an area of concern.
 

Click to read entire article