Putting Sharks on the Map: A New Standard for Identifying Important Habitats

To date, shark, ray and chimera species have not been adequately considered in the planning of marine protected areas. However, a publication in frontiers in marine science Researchers from the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group, the IUCN Ocean Team and the IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Taskforce have developed a new framework to fundamentally change how sharks are considered when designing protected areas, thereby supporting the protection they urgently need need face of extinction.

Ciaran Hyde, advisor to the IUCN Ocean Team, said: “We still have so much to learn about many shark, ray and chimera species, but unfortunately, multiple studies show that many protected areas are not adequately meeting their needs. Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) will help identify areas for these species using criteria specifically developed to address their biological and ecological needs.”

As apex predators, sharks perform many vital functions in maintaining a balanced ecosystem. Sharks form fish communities, ensure biodiversity and even help our oceans to sequester more carbon by tending seagrass beds.

“The loss of sharks, rays and chimeras will not only affect the health of the entire marine ecosystem, but will also affect food security in many countries,” said Lynn Sorrentino, IUCN Ocean Team Program Officer.

However, their pinnacle status makes them more vulnerable to anthropogenic threats. Many of these species are affected by fisheries, particularly in tropical and coastal areas where large communities live along the coast and rely on fish as the main source of protein.

like dr Rima Jabado, Chair of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group, explained. “Sharks are a long-lived species: many take a long time to reach sexual maturity and then give birth to only a few young. This makes them particularly vulnerable to fishing pressure and with an estimated 37% among the species at risk of extinction, they face a biodiversity crisis. The results of the ISRA project will inform policy and ensure that areas critical to the survival of sharks, rays and chimeras are considered in spatial planning.”

Developed by experts, conservation agencies and governments

Work on the ISRA criteria was developed through a collaborative process involving shark experts, conservation agencies and governments and includes four criteria and seven sub-criteria. These take into account the complex biological and ecological needs of sharks, including areas important to threatened or range-restricted species, specific habitats, life history characteristics and vital functions (e.g., breeding, feeding, resting, locomotion), characteristics and biodiversity within an area.

dr Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, Co-Chair of the IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Taskforce and Vice-Chair of the IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group, remarked: “Every effort is being made to ensure that the ISRAs contain the best and most up-to-date location-based information, that science can offer decision makers, managers and marine users As the ISRA program progresses by progressively covering the entire extent of the sea surface (and relevant inland waters), very broad participation from the shark expert community worldwide is expected.”

By bringing together information from scientific publications, reports, databases and the expertise of individual shark experts, ISRAs are a powerful tool for governing bodies to develop policies and shape protected areas.