NEWS
New Ocean Map Pinpoints 800+ High-Priority Areas Crucial for Shark and Rays Protection
Across nine regions, IUCN located 816 areas where at least one threatened species of sharks and rays hosts key activities.
A team of experts has specified certain ocean areas that should be protected to increase shark and ray populations. They identified 816 areas and described them in a report published by the IUCN. The report, titled “Ocean Travellers,” calls them “Important Shark and Ray Areas” (ISRAs). All of these areas host key activities for at least one threatened shark or ray species. This finding is crucial, as shark and ray populations have been struggling worldwide due to exploitative activities, such as overfishing. These ISRAs are publicly available in an online atlas. The authorities conducted the evaluation to guide future policy decisions.
Read the full story here
