A shark is seen in an aquarium. (Mustafa Ozer/AFP via Getty Images)
Shark Populations Are Declining Toward 'Point Of No Return,' Scientists Say
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The ocean’s top predators are in decline.
A study published by an international team of scientists last week in the journal Nature found the global abundance of oceanic sharks and rays has plunged more than 70% since 1970. In the early 2000s, up to 273 million sharks were killed every year, the study says.
Over the last 50 years, an increase in fishing has coincided with a growing international market for shark meat, fins and the gill plates from species such as manta rays, says Sonja Fordham, a co-author of the study and president of the group Shark Advocates.