Conservation experts have announced that shortfin mako sharks, also known as the blue pointer or bonito shark, now officially face extinction.
The shortfin mako sharks are known to be the world’s fastest shark as they are capable of speeding up to 19.8 meters per second or 40 miles per hour.
A dramatic decline of 60 percent in their population was caused by overfishing and they are hunted for its prized meat and fins. Despite being listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they are still not protected by any international fishing restrictions.
“Our results are alarming and yet no surprising, as we find the sharks that are especially slow-growing, sought-after and unprotected from overfishing tend to be the most threatened,” Professor Nicholas Dulvy, co-chair of the IUCN’s Shark Specialist Group, told in a statement.
Earlier this year, a shortfin mako fin was found on sale alongside other threatened species in an Asian food retailer in the United Kingdom.
Other conservation groups believed that there is still hope for the mako and other vulnerable and endangered shark species if only the government implement stricter rules to protect them.
