Hammerhead shark: Ecuador will take measures to prevent its disappearance.

The two species of hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena and Sphyrna lewini (red and white hammerhead shark) have suffered a progressive annual decline over the last 7 years; for this reason and with the aim of avoiding their disappearance, the Undersecretariat of Fisheries Resources announces measures to safeguard their conservation.

The measure in our country will be a total ban on landing, storage and marketing of hammerhead sharks (including the ban on the internal and external marketing of their fins); and although this is an internal measure, it would be ideal for it to be adopted by neighbouring countries as well, since the problem with this species is global.

The record of sharks, rays and chimaeras totals 120 species in Ecuador. SRP biologist Jimmy Martinez explains that of these, the main species captured are, in this order: the thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus), the blue shark (Prionace glauca), the mico or tollo (Carcharhinus falciformis), the hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena) and (Sphyrna lewini).

The main problem with the hammerhead shark is the permanent decrease in landings, which in the period 2004 - 2010 reached 45 % and is currently a species on the red list.

However, with the hammerhead shark or whitetip shark, the problem is that due to the use of certain fishing gear, up to 91% of juveniles are caught, so a large part of the population does not reach adulthood or manage to reproduce.

According to Martínez, the decision of the fishing entity is to apply this immediate management measure for the species and to train artisanal fishermen from all over the Ecuadorian coast in the process that will be carried out for the conservation of these species.

So far, the response from fishermen and merchants has been very positive, as they are aware that the issue is worrying and have decided to collaborate with this measure, which is part of the scientifically-based actions established by the National Action Plan for the Management and Conservation of Sharks in Ecuador (PAT-EC), concludes Martínez.