Sharks in Danger: Researcher Rui Rosa in an interview with RTP Africa

As part of the Tropical Summit, researchers Bernardo Duarte and Vanessa Fonseca organized a special interview session for RTP Africa, focusing on the theme “Ocean and Coastal Zones” in tropical regions. One of the main interviewees was researcher Rui Rosa, who, in just over ten minutes, discussed the importance of sharks in marine food chains and the threats they face. 
 

According to Rui Rosa, every minute around 190 sharks are killed by humans, making a total of around 100 million animals every year. With these alarming figures, the researcher begins to explain the seriousness of the situation: “Sharks play an extremely important role in the trophic structure of marine food chains. And so, by removing them, we are effectively unbalancing the system and, obviously, it has a cascading effect.”

This disruption to ecological balances has led to the threat of extinction of 40% of species worldwide, a figure that Rui Rosa classifies as “frightening”. The researcher points out that, in some places, this threat is even more serious. For example, in Cape Verde, the rate of species at risk rises to 60%, and particularly in São Tomé, 70% of species are disappearing.

In addition to climate change, which is responsible for the Dead Zones that directly affect sharks, intensive fishing is one of the main causes of the threat. Rui Rosa highlights the various reasons why sharks are caught, such as commercial fishing, meat consumption and the demand for fins for the famous “Shark Fin Soup”.

What is the solution? For Rui Rosa, the answer lies in the creation of Marine Protected Areas, especially in places like São Tomé, where a shark nursery was recently identified and where some of the most emblematic species, such as the hammerhead shark, are found. 

Another fundamental measure is environmental education. “We need to work on environmental education and show that it's more valuable to keep them alive than to remove them from the ecosystem,” says the researcher. As well as reducing the direct consumption of sharks by raising public awareness, the aim is to reduce the production of other products derived from them, from swimwear to cosmetics and even soccer shoes.

 

“In addition to environmental education, our role is to provide scientific data so that policymakers can establish specific conservation areas for these animals,” concludes Rui Rosa, highlighting the fundamental role of researchers in preserving sharks and protecting marine ecosystems.

To listen to the interview click HERE

Cover photo provided by MARE-ISPA

Monday, 13 January 2025