Elasmobranchs (sharks, rays and skates) are at risk worldwide because they are over-targeted in fishing, either as intended catch or as by-catch. Sharks are often caught for their fins for shark fin soup. So-called ‘shark finning’ is the gruesome act of cutting the fins off of a shark while often be alive during the ordeal. The valuable fins are sold and the animal is often discarded like trash, dying a slow death. These fins don’t really add to the taste of the soup, it is merely a status symbol in China and a few other countries. As a result, yearly 70-100 million sharks are caught and most of the 400+ shark and skate species have dramatically declined in numbers, in some cases even with 70-90%.
Some ray species, such as the endangered manta ray, are targeted for their gills. In China the gills are used for medicine (also total baloney). Just like shark finning, the fishers only target one small part of the animal, not the meat of the ray. We developed a special teaching program for Kenyan fishers and school children. This program is executed by 5 partner-NGOs along the Kenyan coast since mid 2023. In Lombok (Indonesia) we collaborate with Indonesia Biru Foundation in elasmobranch conservation; the Indonesian education material is being developed as we speak.
Education is key in protecting these important species. Coral Reef Care focuses on different solutions to reduce elasmobranch fishing such as ecotourism, alternative sustainable livelihoods such as permaculture which includes retraining fishers, local conservation projects such as coral restoration that provide jobs. Also part of the program is to identify elasmobranch nursery grounds, to do research on alternative fishing gear and to advise local decision makers.
