High Time to Save Sharks from the Brink of Extinction

Great white shark

Sharks have ruled the world's oceans for some 400 million years and earned their place on the top of the food chain until humans showed up. Despite their reputation as "man-eaters" and the stuff of nightmares in the mindset of people, sharks have been and continue to be heavily fished for their meat, fins, and liver oil to satisfy the insatiable demand of humankind. A peer-review study from 2013 estimated that 100 million sharks are fished every year for their products to meet the growing demand. But now, a new estimate by the IUCN's Shark Specialist Group has warned that seventeen of the 58 shark species are on the brink of extinction. These include the shortfin mako, which is known for swimming up to 25 miles per hour followed by bursts of more than 70 kilometers an hour, making it one of the fastest sharks in the world. However, the shortfin mako, along with its relative the longfin mako, is also highly valued for its meat and fins to satisfy Chinese and other Asian culinary traditions. In May, several countries will vote on a plan by Mexico to list the shortfin mako on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The Appendix II status would not outlaw fishing or trade of the shortfin mako, but control it. Six of the shark species reassessed were listed as "critically endangered," three of which for the first time. These include the Argentine angelshark, smoothback angelshark, and whitefin swellshark. Eleven others were categorized as either "vulnerable" or "endangered" to extinction. The IUCN Shark Specialist Group has discovered that the decline in shark populations is linked to the tuna fisheries operating in seas and oceans where the sharks live. This was seen when fisheries management organizations doing a better job supervising tuna catches has increased the motivation for fishermen to target sharks for extra cash. According to Nicholas Dulvy, co-chairman of the group, such activities were seen along the coastlines of the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. Sonja Fordham, the group's deputy chair and an officer of the Ocean Foundation, called for urgent limits on fishing at both national and international levels, including complete bans on landing those sharks reviewed as "endangered" or "critically endangered."

Shortfin mako shark

It really disappoints me to see that humankind's insatiable appetite is pushing the world's shark populations towards the brink of extinction. I really think that based on the assessments made by the IUCN Shark Specialist Group, it is a high time to raise public awareness about the anthropogenic dangers affecting the sharks and take action. These majestic fish may have an undeserved reputation as man-killers and stuff of nightmares, but in reality, sharks are on the top of the food chain of various marine ecosystems and do not habitually prey on people like their counterparts in various movies. They are responsible for maintaining the ecological balance of the world's oceans and seas, which means without them, the global marine life would change dramatically. I strongly believe that various fisheries that specialize in tuna and other commercially important fish should be closely monitored for possession of sharks and should be punished under full extent of the law. In addition, I also believe that sharks like the shortfin mako should be fully protected and there should not be any regulation in catching this shark for its meat and fins. In fact, it is absolutely necessary to remove shark meat, fins, and liver oil from Chinese and other Asian culinary traditions because there is no scientific proof that such products can treat any medical conditions. Shark fins are known to contain high levels of mercury and methylmercury salts which is unhealthy for both soon-to-be pregnant and pregnant mothers, nursing mothers, and young children. Some studies have shown that shark liver oil may raise blood cholesterol levels. This is why it is highly essential to step up efforts to save sharks from the brink of extinction.

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Is There Really a New Species of Killer Whale Out There?

Physical differentiation between a regular killer whale (bottom) and a possible new species or Type D (top)

Killer whales are the most well-known species of whales in the world. Most people have either seen or heard of them when visiting theme parks such as SeaWorld, going whale-watching, or watching various nature documentaries and films like Free Willy. These magnificent whales have captivated people's imaginations for generations. But somewhere off the coast of southern Chile, for decades, there have been rumors and stories from tourists and local fishermen about what could be a new species of killer whale. Now, the scientific community has had the opportunity to witness this new species for the first time. An international team of researchers stated they found a couple dozen of these distinctive orcas off the coast of Cape Horn in January. They further added that they are waiting for DNA tests from a sample of tissue taken from one of the whales, but believe that the whales may be a different species. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) felt positive enough to announce the discovery of the new killer whale species on Thursday. However, some experts were more cautious and stated that they would wait for the test results even though they agreed the whales are different. One of them is marine mammal educator at the Smithsonian Institution Michael McGowen, who stated that calling these whales a new species without scientific data may be "premature." Robert Pitman, a NOAA marine biologist in San Diego who was part of the team that sighted the whales off Cape Horn, believes that the animals are distinct from other killer whales. For example, unlike regular killer whales, these whales appeared to have a tiny white patch above the eye and their heads were a bit more rounded and less smooth. In addition, the whales' dorsal fins were narrower and pointed. Dr. Pitman further added that Cape Horn's whales mostly ate fish, instead of marine mammals like seals and sea lions, which explained why local fishermen complained about the whales successfully ripping apart their fishing lines. The whales probably cannot breed with other killer whales. Measuring 20-25 feet long, these whales are a little smaller than ordinary killer whales. And while majority of killer whales in the southern hemisphere are categorized in Types A through C, this particular species Dr. Pitman stated is called Type D or subantarctic killer whales.

View of Cape Horn

I find it amazing that there is a particularly unique type of killer whale off the coast of Cape Horn that possesses distinctive characteristics from ordinary killer whales. But is this really a new species of killer whale? I think to answer this question, I believe it is important to obtain DNA test results in order to be sure. Physical characteristics alone are not sufficient enough to prove a species' distinctiveness. For example, when a team of researchers from the Smithsonian Institution studied the "golden jackal" populations in Africa four years ago, they were able to determine through mitochondrial DNA analysis that the animals are in fact distinct from golden jackals and a new species in the dog family. Similarly, scientists and researchers studying killer whales off the coast of Cape Horn to conduct DNA analysis in order to determine whether the animals are truly a distinct species or not. They should not just examine physical and behavioral characteristics to show that these are a distinct species.

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Major Companies Should Take Full Responsibility in Cleaning Up Oil Spills Caused by their Vessels

Oil spilling out of the Solomon Trader in the Solomon Islands

Last month, a cargo ship from Hong Kong called the Solomon Trader got stuck during a cyclone in the Solomon Islands when it was trying to load bauxite. The incident occurred off the coast of Rennell Island near a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as East Rennell during which the island's reef tore into the vessel's side resulting in some 80 tons of heavy fuel oil being poured into the sea and onto the shoreline. Aerial footage by the Australian government showed the spill advancing roughly 3.5 miles across the island's shore and moving closer to the World Heritage Site. Ever since the disaster took place, there has been an increasing anger that the companies responsible for the spill have not stepped in to stop the pollution. The government of the Solomon Islands originally requested Australia to give technical advice, but due to the escalation of the disaster, Australia is setting up teams in an attempt to scale down the effects of the destruction. Australia indicated that the islands' government made it clear that the companies which caused the spill, King Trader Ltd. and its insurer Korea P&I Club, have the responsibility of rescuing the ship and cleaning up the damage. Local and maritime publications say that the ship was authorized at the time by a company called Bintan Mining. The New York Times reported that Korea P&I Club "expressed 'deep remorse' on behalf of itself and the vessel's owner, King Trader, though it said that 'matters of liability are yet to be determined.' "

View of East Rennell

It really frustrates me that when there is an environmental disaster involving a ship or any other vessel, the companies that own that vessel(s) do not take action. This was especially seen in the case of the Solomon Trader, which has been leaking oil into the sea off the coast of Rennell Island since February 5 2019. The spilled oil is advancing little by little towards East Rennell, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the companies which own the ship did not take any immediate action to prevent any damage. I strongly urge all the major companies that own various cargo ships to take the initiative of salvaging their vessels whenever there is an oil spill anywhere in the world. It is the sole responsibility of the companies to clean up the mess they have caused whenever their vessels are involved in a maritime disaster that is damaging to the marine environment. Such disasters not only threaten the marine life but can also severely impact the livelihood of local populations that strongly depend on the waters for survival. For example, East Rennell is home to 1,200 native people who primarily live by hunting, fishing, and subsistence gardening. Many of them were interviewed in which they complained about the awful smell from the oil making breathing difficult. If the oil continues to expand, it will kill the fish and other marine animals which these people rely on for food. This is why I firmly believe that major companies, their owners and insurers, should take full responsibility in tackling maritime disasters such as oil spills involving their vessels.

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