Chondrichthyans (sharks, rays, and chimaeras – hereafter referred to as ‘sharks’) are facing a global extinction crisis. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it is now estimated that over one-third of sharks are threatened with extinction. Over the last century, fisheries have had a massive cumulative impact on sharks and this threat has been compounded by habitat loss and climate change. Threat levels are highest in coastal habitats where 75% of threatened species occur. This makes sharks one of the most threatened taxon in the marine environment, second only to Amphibians at the global scale.
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