Global Shark Abundance Baselines

Long-term data on sharks are rare, and many studies may underestimate changes in shark populations because they use information collected after fishing for sharks was already under way. This study will analyze long-term shark data sets to identify true baseline population information. It will draw on coastal data from recreational fisheries and gillnets in Australia and South Africa, pelagic data from longline fisheries on the high seas, and modern-day shark abundance estimates. This baseline information will be invaluable for examining long-term changes, evaluating extinction risk, and setting management targets.