Status of Cartilaginous Fishes in Pakistan

Abstract

Pakistani fishermen are involved in shark fishing activity and caught cartilaginous fishes as by catch by using gillnet despite their population is decline. In this study we recorded small and large size sharks were found at the two major fish landing sites i.e. Karachi fish harbor and Korangi fish harbor ranging from (29-188cm), rays (DL: 21-104cm and DW: 26-230), guitarfishes (51-116cm) and torpedo (17-34cm) in which large size species are Carcharhinussorrah, Alopiaspelagicus, Mobulaeregoodootenkee, Mobulatarapacana and small size Narcinespp (17-20cm). In Pakistan annual shark landing was recorded 51,170 tons in 2000 and gradually decrease about 4,660 tons in 2011 whereas Sindh and Balochistan province captured 2,170-2,490 tons of sharks in 2011. Top ranking Shark fishing countries with % of global catch i.e. Indonesia 13.25% (First highest catcher), India 9.8% (Second), Spain 7.3% (Third), Taiwan 5.8%, Argentina 4.3%, Mexico 4.1%, Pakistan 3.92%, United states (U.S) 3.7%, Japan 3.0%, Malaysia 2.9%, Thailand 2.8%, France 2,6%, Brazil 2.4%, Srilanka 2.4%, New Zealand 2.2%, Portugal 1.9%, Nigeria 1.7%, Iran 1.7%, United Kingdom (U.K) 1.6% and South Korea 1.4% whereas shark finning countries are Taiwan (First largest), Hong Kong (Second) and Singapore (Third). Elasmobranchs are caught for global demand, earned money, for delicacy and status symbol but their products would highly beneficial and valuable for medicinal and cosmetic industries.