WCS 3-Sentence Science

Sharks Rebound After Fishery Closure

October 4, 2019

CREDIT: CALEB MCCLENNEN

Each year, Wildlife Conservation Society scientists publish more than 300 peer-reviewed studies and papers. “WCS 3-Sentence Science” is a regular tip-sheet — in bite sized helpings — of some of this published work.

Here we present work by the WCS Columbia program’s Paola Majia Falla on the use of fisheries management to conserve large shark species.

1. Researchers examined the impacts of a closed fishery on 15 species of sharks and rays in Colombia’s Seaflower Biosphere Reserve finding that the vulnerability of large sharks decreased greatly once the fishery was closed.
2. The findings highlight the importance of: involving communities to achieve effective management processes; implementing precautionary measures for high impact and targeted fisheries; and using valuable data-poor tools for the study of populations as an alternative for evaluating and suggesting management measures.
3. Finally, it is suggested to maintain the fishing ban in consensus with fishers, and to evaluate economic alternatives already being generated in the area such as recreational diving and ecological tourism, among others.

Study and Journal: “Effect of a precautionary management measure on the vulnerability and ecological risk of elasmobranchs captured as target fisheries” from Regional Studies in Marine Science
WCS Co-Author(s): Paola Majia Falla (Lead), WCS Colombia Program

For more information, contact: Stephen Sautner, 718–220–3682, ssautner@wcs.org.