The school shark (Galeorhinus galeus) is a small size described requiem sharks of temperate waters worldwide. With its typical, streamlined body shape and prominent dorsal fin — as well as an enigmatic nature that has featured it at the very centre of marine mythology for centuries.
A Social Species
And as their name would suggest, school shark are a group species that frequently gather in schools of thousands. Benefits of these schools include predator avoidance, foraging efficiency and reproductive success. Schooling also enables school sharks to confuse and repel potential predators such as other, larger species of shark or marine mammals.
A Versatile Diet
School sharks are known for their opportunistic feeding nature, so they take a variety of prey. Their diet often consists of bony fish such as herring, mackerel and cod as well as cephalopods: squid, octopus. They are also known for hunting smaller sharks and rays. Without their strong jaws and sharp teeth, they are not able to catch prey.
A Threatened Species
Although in some regions they are common, school sharks have experienced severe decline due to a number of threats. They are extensively exploited, especially for the Asian shark fin soup markets and overfishing is a real threat. However habitat destruction, pollution and climate change further threaten their existence.
Conservation Efforts
In response, a range of global conservation recreational options are being introduced to protect school sharks and other marine species. These efforts include:
Sustainable Fishing Practices: The practice of sustainable fish fishing, which includes the use of selective nets and reduced catch quotas to help stop by-catch while also protecting marine ecosystems.
Marine Protective Areas: Designating marine protection areas to protect important habitats and minimize the human-export around oceans.
Enforcement of international agreements and regulations to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing
Raising Public Awareness: Campaigning showing why sharks and all other marine creatures have to be protected.
Knowing what role school sharks have in the environment and identifying why they are being threatened can be used to cooperate with each other for their long-term survival. Maintaining sustainable fishing methods, preserving marine habitats and promoting the importance of Marine conservation can also make these beautiful species real-time survivors in the long run along with maintaining ecological balance down a food chain.