NMFS Lists Scalloped Hammerhead as Threatened/Endangered

Scalloped Hammerhead

In response to a petition submitted by WildEarth Guardians and Friends of Animals, the National Marine Fisheries Service has announced a final determination to list the Central and Southwest (SW) Atlantic Distinct Population Segment (DPS) and the Indo-West Pacific DPS of scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The NMFS has also issued a final determination to list the Eastern Atlantic DPS and Eastern Pacific DPS of scalloped hammerhead sharks as endangered species under the ESA. The agency intends to consider critical habitat for the Central & SW Atlantic, Indo-West Pacific, and Eastern Pacific DPSs in a separate rulemaking.

Attributing distinct population declines to finning, the NMFS granted four distinct population segments (DPSs) of scalloped hammerhead sharks federal protection.

“Scalloped hammerhead sharks are valued for their large fins, which fetch a high commercial value in the Asian shark fin trade and comprise the second most traded fin category in the Hong Kong market. Due to this profit incentive, there have been many reports of finning and seizures of illegally gained shark fins,” according to the final listing action.

“The practice of ‘finning’ is of particular concern for scalloped hammerheads and other sharks. In this practice, crews land the sharks and remove only their fins, disposing of the remainder of the animals overboard and leaving disabled sharks to drown or die of starvation. By taking the fins only, crews catch and kill many more sharks than their boats could otherwise hold-and many more than can be officially recorded as losses to the bio-community,” the WildEarth Guardians said in their response to the listing proposal last year.

The NMFS did not find that other factors such as habitat destruction, climate change or disease were significantly contributing to the sharks’ decline.

The agency plans to determine critical habitat in a separate action.

The final listings are effective Sept. 2, 2014.