Biblioteca

Statistical of baseline and species-specific data are largely unavailable for several elasmobranchs (e.g., sharks, skates, and rays). Populations of many shark species such as shortfin mako sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus) have declined, mainly because of overexploitation and fishing pressure-related vulnerability. Mako shark conservation and management have become major concerns. The available catch, fishing effort, and biological composition data of mako sharks, particularly in the South Pacific Ocean, are insufficient, making stock assessments difficult. We applied demographic analysis to increase the current understanding of the mako shark stock status despite insufficient fishery data. Our results revealed that mako shark populations would only be able to sustain a lower fishing mortality (20% of natural mortality) in the study area. The findings strongly suggest that more conservative management measures should be implemented to ensure sustainable utilization of the mako shark stock. The current models may be applicable to other shark species and taxa with limited data availability for preserving their ecological balance and establishing management and conservation measures for them.