Blue shark  (Prionace glauca)

Although blue sharks are among the most abundant, widespread, fecund and faster growing of the sharks, they are one of the most heavily fished sharks in the world. With an estimated 10 to 20 million individuals caught and killed each year, there is concern not only about what this is doing to blue shark populations, but also about the effect the removal of such an important predator might be having on the oceanic ecosystem (1). Blue sharks are one of the most important species in the international shark fin trade. However, their meat, while eaten in a few countries, is not very popular (8). They are also an important angling species in some areas (1).

International obligations that regulate the fishing of sharks include the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, the International Plan of Action for Sharks (IPOA-SHARKS), the United Nations' Agreement on Straddling Stocks and Highly Migratory Species, and the Sustainable Fisheries Act. Although some countries have banned finning, there are no binding international treaties for the management of sharks, including the regulation or outlawing of finning (9). The blue shark is listed on Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea (3), which stresses the need for international cooperation in the conservation, management and utilization of living aquatic resources, especially of migratory species. This does not, however, enforce any regulations (9). Fortunately, the blue shark is a prolific species with good rebound potential, and the abundance and wide distribution of this species offers a reasonable buffer against extinction (7).