- The Global Partnership for Sharks and Rays (GPSR) is collaborative effort supported by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and Oceans 5.
- The campaign aims to “halt the global overexploitation of sharks and rays, prevent species extinction, and restore shark and ray populations worldwide.”
- The GPSR fund will target coastal fishing countries that have some of the largest direct and incidental take of sharks and rays, have a significant domestic demand, and high biodiversity; as well as countries that have outsized demand for shark and ray products.
On September 15, Hollywood actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio launched a new campaign for sharks and rays at the third annual Our Ocean conference in Washington, D.C.
The Global Partnership for Sharks and Rays (GPSR) is collaborative effort supported by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and Oceans 5. The partnership, formed early this year, aims to “halt the global overexploitation of sharks and rays, prevent species extinction, and restore shark and ray populations worldwide.”
“We join together to develop a global strategy to stop the slaughter of sharks and rays and to ramp up resources to change the tide for these incredible and important species,” DiCaprio said at the launch.
Researchers have estimated that between 63 to 273 million sharks are killed every year for their fin, liver oil, cartilage, leather, meat, and ray gill plates. Such aggressive overfishing is causing the rapid decline of several species of sharks and rays. In fact, one in four sharks and rays are threatened with extinction, a study found in 2014.
Populations of the oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus), for example, have declined by 98 percent in some areas over the last 30 years. Similarly, the once-abundant common skate or blue skate (Dipturus batis) is now listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.
To protect the world’s sharks and rays, the GPSR fund plans to focus on regions which have the highest shark and ray mortality. The fund will target coastal fishing countries that have some of the largest direct and incidental take of sharks and rays, a significant domestic demand, and high biodiversity; as well as countries that have outsized demand for shark and ray products.
“Sharks and rays have cruised the world’s oceans for tens of millions of years and have evolved to fill critical niches in preserving the health of reefs and other near-shore environments,” GPSR Chair Jim Angell said in a statement. “Yet many species are in imminent danger of extinction as a result of rampant overexploitation and habitat degradation. The GPSR is a direct response to this serious threat. We have come together around a shared conservation vision and commitment to make significant investments in the future of these species, the oceans, and the billions of people around the world who rely on healthy ocean ecosystems for their food and livelihood.”
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