Fishing for oil and meat drives irreversible defaunation of deepwater sharks and rays

• DOI: 10.1126/science.ade9121
• Publication Date: 2024-03-07T18:59:04Z
• Authors: Brittany Finucci; Nathan Pacoureau; Cassandra L. Rigby; Jay H. Matsushiba; Nina Faure-Beaulieu; C. Samantha Sherman; Wade J. VanderWright; Rima W. Jabado; Patricia Charvet; Paola A. Mejía-Falla; Andrés F. Navia; Danielle H. Derrick; Peter M. Kyne; Riley A. Pollom; Rachel H. L. Walls; Katelyn B. Herman; Bineesh Kinattumkara; Charles F. Cotton; Juan-Martín Cuevas; Ross K. Daley; Dharmadi; David A. Ebert; Daniel Fernando; Stela M. C. Fernando; Malcolm P. Francis; Charlie Huveneers; Hajime Ishihara; David W. Kulka; Robin W. Leslie; Francis Neat; Alexei M. Orlov; Getulio Rincon; Glenn J. Sant; Igor V. Volvenko; Terence I. Walker; Colin A. Simpfend...; Nicholas K. Dulvy
• Keywords: Defaunation; Overexploitation; Overfishing; Bycatch

The deep ocean is the last natural biodiversity refuge from reach of human activities. Deepwater sharks and rays are among most sensitive marine vertebrates to overexploitation. One-third threatened deepwater targeted, half species targeted for international liver-oil trade with extinction. Steep population declines cannot be easily reversed owing long generation lengths, low recovery potentials, near absence management. Depth spatial limits fishing activity could improve conservation when implemented alongside catch regulations, bycatch mitigation, regulation. require immediate regulations prevent irreversible defaunation promote this megafauna group.