Shark population has fallen around the world

Fearsome ocean predators number of sharks around the world has fallen.

Research published in the latest science journal Nature, found fishing was responsible for fewer sharks across many of the world’s coral reefs.

Using a network of underwater cameras, researchers found sharks were “functionally extinct” at 20 per cent of the coral reefs they surveyed.

They blame destructive and unsustainable fishing techniques for the problems uncovered across 58 countries.

Reef sharks were almost completely absent  from reefs in several nations.

Globally 100 million sharks are estimated to be  killed each year for their fins and meat.

The worst ranked nations for reef sharks included Qatar, the Dominican Republic,  Continental Columbia, Sri Lanka and Guam according to the study.

 

Sharks population was relatively high on the world’s largest coral system- the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia.