Study finds unsustainable and alarming rates of tiger shark capture

While populations of the tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier, are in a state of global decline, a study by researchers at the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, and the Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, New Delhi, has revealed that the species is being heavily and unsustainably fished in the Laccadive and Arabian Seas. The 16-month study undertaken at the Cochin Fisheries Harbour, and published in the international journal – Biological Conservation, points to alarming levels of indiscriminate exploitation as close to 95% of the landings were immature tiger sharks preventing population replenishment. The study spanning from March 2023 to September 2024 also documents a shocking 7% mortality rate of newborn tiger sharks within the catches. The study calls for targeted education and awareness programmes for fostering a shift towards sustainable practices and proposes several management strategies, including establishing protected zones for key habitats such as pupping and nursery grounds, implementing size restrictions including minimum legal size to prevent overfishing, and promoting participatory research for long-term sustainability.