This month has seen the European Commission propose its first ever shark protection laws.
The Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks aims to rebuild shark stocks and to implement guidelines for the sustainable management of existing fisheries and by-catches.
European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Joe Borg is quoted as saying: "Sharks are very vulnerable to over-exploitation and the consequences of depleting their numbers may have very serious consequences not only for sharks but also for marine ecosystems and for fishermen themselves.
That is why we have set out a plan of action which will both establish a more precautionary approach to managing fisheries where sharks are caught, and support the substantial research still needed to understand fully the role sharks play in the life of our oceans and the impact which fishing may have on them."
The plan covers all cartilaginous fish including sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras.
It will close loopholes in 2003 shark finning regulations (an existing practise which involves manipulating figures by hacking off the sharks fin and then throwing the body back into the sea), cut catches of endangered species such as Spurdog and Porbeagle shark, introduce temporary exclusion zones to protect young or reproducing sharks, reduce by-catches and set quotas on all catches according to scientific advice.
A recent study by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature found that as many as one third of the 80 shark species found in EU waters may be threatened by excessive fishing.
Europe currently accounts for over 50% of all shark meat imports and more than 30% of exports.
The proposals were met with mixed reactions from conservation groups with some commenting that this was ...a great step forwards for the conservation of sharks in European waters and beyond to others who accused the laws of being ~vague due to lack of timelines and fishing limits.
The proposals still need to be drafted into law and approved by the EU's 27 nations. It is thought that this will probably take up to four years.