Killing Off Ocean Predators

Sharks Fins Drying | source

Scientists analyzing more than 200 published food records from all over the world, which included more than 3,000 ocean species, have concluded that in the 20th century humans reduced the biomass of predatory fishes by more than two thirds and that most of this alarming decline has occurred since the 1970s.

Many of these predatory fish species are known to be in trouble. The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species considers 12 percent of grouper, 11 percent of tuna and billfish and 24 percent of shark and ray species to be threatened with extinction.