Long before intensive human fishing began, Pacific reefs naturally supported far more sharks than Caribbean reefs, according to a new Science study.
The findings, based on an analysis of fossilized shark scales, suggest that differences in ocean productivity—and not fishing alone—have shaped shark populations for thousands of years, information that could guide future conservation efforts.
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Science Magazine on X: "Long before intensive human fishing began, Pacific reefs naturally supported far more sharks than Caribbean reefs, according to a new Science study. The findings, based on an analysis of fossilized shark scales, suggest that differences in ocean productivity—and not fishing"
The fossil method is doing half the work here. A 2021 PNAS study used shark dermal denticles to show Caribbean reef sharks were more than three times as numerous before heavy human marine use. The Pacific-Caribbean comparison makes the missing baseline visible.
fascinating that ancient reefs held more sharks than the Caribbean shows productivity matters, not just overfishing could UK MPAs benefit local shark recovery?
The Pacific–Caribbean difference is especially interesting because it suggests shark abundance isn't determined by fishing pressure alone. The underlying productivity of an ocean ecosystem can strongly influence how many large predators it can support.
