Rescate de Tiburones en Islas Baleares | Fundación Palma Aquarium

The Mediterranean: a dangerous sea for sharks

Assistance for stranded sharks

Today, the Mediterranean Sea is home to 56 shark species. Most are experiencing a decline in their populations due to commercial exploitation, bycatch and loss of habitat. This, combined with their low reproduction rate, makes these species highly vulnerable.

Experts estimate that shark populations in the Mediterranean have declined by between 96% and 99% since the mid-20th century. These figures are extremely worrying, as in just over 50 years, the decrease in individuals belonging to a number of shark species, such as hammerheads, makos and blue sharks, has been devastating.

Mediterranean Sharks

Sharks and rays grow slowly, reach sexual maturity late, and have a low reproduction rate, which makes them particularly vulnerable to overexploitation.

They represent a significant proportion of the bycatch of trawlers fishing in the Mediterranean, although the majority will not be landed. As a result, more than half of the sharks and rays in the Mediterranean are threatened by fishing activities, and 43% of the species are classified as “endangered” or “critically endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.

The bluntnose sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus) and the blue shark (Prionace glauca) are the two species of shark that most frequently strand in our waters.

Since 2015, the team from the Palma Aquarium Foundation has been authorised by the Directorate-General for Fisheries and the Marine Environment to assist with shark strandings on Mallorca, recording species and compiling biological data.

Since 2022

Summary of assistances

21

sharks assisted

10

Specimens in 2022

11

Specimens in 2023

1

Specimen in 2024

What to do?

If you come across a shark in difficulty

1

Call 112

You should always call 112, the emergency number. The operators will contact the Palma Aquarium Foundation's Marine Fauna stranding network, which, in turn, will contact the person with the animal and give the necessary instructions.

2

Wait, do not take any action

You must NEVER ACT ON YOUR OWN ACCORD

What to do and what not to do while waiting for assistance

1

NEVER attempt to return a stranded shark to the water. The animals that reach the shore are usually injured or ill.

2

NEVER approach the animal and remain silent, for both your safety and that of the animal:

3

They are wild animals and when under stress, they may try to defend themselves and cause serious injuries.

4

Wait for the experts to arrive. They have the knowledge necessary to care for the animals in accordance with their species, behaviour, health condition and the situation.

1

NEVER attempt to return a stranded shark to the water. The animals that reach the shore are usually injured or ill.

2

NEVER approach the animal and remain silent, for both your safety and that of the animal:

3

They are wild animals and when under stress, they may try to defend themselves and cause serious injuries.

4

Wait for the experts to arrive. They have the knowledge necessary to care for the animals in accordance with their species, behaviour, health condition and the situation.

What to do if you find a dead shark

Call 112 immediately.
Take photographs and report the exact location.
If the animal is in open water, where possible, it should be brought on board or towed.
If it is on land, keep passers-by and pets at a distance.
Dead animals can provide us with a lot of useful information.

The OCEMIB project is supported by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO by its Spanish initials), part of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan (PRTR), financed with European Union NextGenerationEU funds.

A Mediterranean and global crisis

Shark and ray populations are falling dramatically around the world

Since it opened, Palma Aquarium has worked for the protection of the marine world and all the animals that inhabit it, with a special focus on sharks.

It is essential to implement effective conservation measures to protect these species, which are vital for maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems.