Five decades of decline in sharks of Iran

Shark stocks in Iranian water of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman are declining sharply. Although fishing and heavy fines have been banned by the organizations in charge of fishing for these fish, bycatch in some fishing methods, including Neritic and oceanic Gillnet, trawl fish and shrimp, long loine and trolling, still catch sharks. Slowly In this study, during a period of 10 years from 2010 to 2020 in 20 selected fishing ports randomly in the coastal strip of the Persian Gulf and gulf of ​​Oman to monitor the discharge of sharks by examining and identifying shark species using biometric methods and using valid regional identification keys as well as FAO identification keys. The present study showed that 38 species of sharks are implicitly caught in the process of fishing operations. Of the total shark fishing composition during the study period, five shark species are the most abundant, which are the dominant species in the region. The percentage of abundance of these sharks are respectively., Rhizoprionodon acutus21%, Carcharhinus falciformis 18%, Carcharhinus sorrah 15%, Rhizoprionodon oligolinx 12%, Carcharhinus dussumieri 10% and, Carcharhinus limbatus 8%, To devote to themselves. Most sharks caught are small sharks with a longitudinal frequency of between 50 and 100 cm. Estimated annual shark catches over the past five decades and according to the latest IUCN rankings in 2020, four species of sharks in the Persian Gulf and the gulf of ​​Oman are now critically endangered; Thirteen species are also on the Red List of Endangered Species. Accordingly, 13 other species have become vulnerable due to illegal fishing of their stocks Vulnerable. At present, due to the ecological importance of shark stocks and the existence of sensitivity at the national and regional levels, as well as the presence of the Iranian fishing fleet in the Indian Ocean and the implicit catch of ocean species and the attention of international organizations, the need for a national plan of action to protect These valuable species are increasingly felt that this important thing with a national determination and with regard to the needs of management and expert consensus must be achieved in a practical and executive way.