Takeaways:
- A decade long study analyzing the population of Caribbean reef sharks saw a significant decline from 2009 to 2019, largely due to legal shark fishing.
- In an effort to protect these animals, the researchers worked with government officials from the Glovers Reef Marine Reserve and the fishing community to implement no-take-zones which extended 2 miles around Glover’s Reef Atoll and around Lighthouse Reef Atoll and Turneffe Atoll.
- Although it may be too early to tell if these restrictions will impact the shark population, the researchers and community are hopeful.
