The Shark Alliance

Gentle giants taken despite protection

Shark Alliance denounces illegal landing of basking sharks in Greece

19 March 2009

ATHENS - The Shark Alliance is condemning two illegal landings of basking sharks, both over seven meters and weighing roughly two tons, taken from waters off Greece within the span of a week. The sharks were reportedly taken unintentionally by net fishermen off the coast south of Athens, one on March 9 2009 and another just five days later. The basking shark, the second largest fish species on earth, is protected under European Union regulation and classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as Vulnerable to extinction in the Mediterranean.

“There are so few safeguards for sharks in Europe. It is critical that all existing regulations, particularly those for endangered species, are strictly enforced and that fishermen are educated about them,” said Ali Hood, Conservation Director for the Shark Trust, a founding member of the Shark Alliance with a long history in basking shark conservation. “Fishermen must be made aware of the need to avoid basking sharks and the importance of carefully releasing and reporting any that are caught accidentally,” Hood continued.

The basking shark landed on March 9 2009 was sold at a local fish market. The shark’s huge liver is valuable for its oil which is used in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. A single, enormous basking shark fin can fetch tens of thousands of euros for use as storefront advertising that a Chinese restaurant sells the delicacy shark fin soup. The basking shark taken on March 14 2009 was reportedly donated to a research institute for study.

“Enforcement of existing shark protections and prevention of future violations are essential elements of living up to the EU’s new commitment to shark conservation,” said Sonja Fordham, Policy Director for the Shark Alliance. “All incentive to kill basking sharks, including profit or publicity, must be removed. If exceptions are made for accidental catches, we are likely to start seeing more accidents – something that this depleted population simply cannot withstand.”