For over 400 million years, many species of sharks have played critical roles in maintaining ocean ecosystems.
Today, there are over 500 shark species, and their function in the ocean varies greatly, ranging from the gentle whale shark that can grow to 32 feet in length, weigh over 20 tons while filter feeds on plankton, krill, and small schooling fish and their eggs, to the dominant and fierce, marine predators such as the 15-foot white and 14-foot tiger shark as adults that feed on among other things marine mammals. Some sharks are tiny, the smallest being the 8 inch dwarf lanternshark, which lives at depths of over 1,000 feet and feeds on organisms smaller than itself.
As humans fear of sharks has matured into an understanding that they are both essential to marine health, and now threatened with extinction, legislation has flourished over the past two decades, covering 70% of the world’s oceans, most commonly to prevent shark finning to reduce shark mortality from commercial fishing.
But shark finning legislation hasn’t worked, according a study, Global shark fishing mortality still rising despite widespread regulatory change, published in one of the world’s top academic journals, Science 2024.
The authors report that between 2012-2019 shark deaths from fishing increased globally from 76 million to 80 million sharks per year, and that nearly 25 million of these shark species are endangered with extinction.
A consequence of the shark-finning regulations has reduced animal cruelty and waste, yet it is actually leading to an increase in shark consumption by people around the world, which may grow this market and ultimately increase the threats to shark survival.
Stronger action is needed in two areas: Regulate fishing to minimize impacts on unwanted catch of species and control effort to prohibit overfishing of targeted species; and one of the best ways to protect sharks and marine biodiversity generally is to create no-take marine reserves. The good news is that some well-managed coastal no-take zones and some larger offshore no-take protected areas are allowing some shark population to increase and stabilize.
Unfortunately, at least in the US, the Trump administration has moved to roll back protections from marine reserves. In April 2025, President Trump issued an executive order calling for a review of existing marine monuments, followed by a proclamation opening the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine Monument south of Hawaii to commercial fishing. On February 6, 2026, he signed a further proclamation opening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing as well.
Turtle Island is working to keep sharks alive, concentrating efforts now on maintaining and increasing protection for marine reserves in the US and around the world. Now, you have the opportunity to speak out to protect sharks in the Atlantic as NOAA Fisheries is considering a dangerous rollback of protections after pressure from fishing interests claiming sharks are “overpopulated.” Act fast! The comment deadline closes on May 29, 2026.
We need your help! Please take additional action by:
- Signing this petition to protect Northeast Canyons monument here.
- Demanding Costa Rica to complete their portion of the Cocos-Galapagos Swimway here.
- Signing up to receive actions from the TIRN Action Center here.
Header photo credit: NOAA.
