History of Shark in Timeline

Sharks are cartilaginous fish belonging to the elasmobranch group, characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, dermal denticles, multiple gill slits, and unfused pectoral fins. Classified within the Selachii division, they are related to rays (Batoidea). The term 'shark' can also include extinct shark-like chondrichthyans. While chondrichthyan-like scales date back to the Late Ordovician, the earliest shark-like forms appeared in the Devonian Period. Confirmed modern sharks emerged in the Early Jurassic, roughly 200 million years ago, with Agaleus being the oldest known member, although potential evidence suggests their existence as far back as the Permian period.

1916: Jersey Shore Shark Attacks

The Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 popularized the perception of sharks as dangerous animals.

1930: Homer W. Smith's Research

In 1930, research by Homer W. Smith indicated that sharks' urine does not contain enough sodium to prevent hypernatremia, suggesting another mechanism for salt secretion must exist.

1950: Shark-Killing Program in New South Wales

Between 1950 and 2008, 352 tiger sharks and 577 great white sharks were killed in nets in New South Wales, alongside a total of 15,135 marine animals.

1960: Discovery of Sharks' Rectal Gland

In 1960, it was discovered that sharks possess a salt gland at the end of their intestine, called the rectal gland, which secretes chlorides.

1962: Queensland's Shark Control Program

From 1962 to the present, the government of Queensland has targeted and killed sharks in large numbers by using drum lines, under a "shark control" program which has also killed other marine animals.

1970: Decline in Shark Populations

Since 1970, shark populations have been reduced by 71% due to overfishing and practices like shark finning.

1991: Great White Sharks Protected in South Africa

In 1991, South Africa became the first country to declare great white sharks a legally protected species.

1996: Estimated Shark Killings and Trading

During a four-year period from 1996 to 2000, an estimated 26 to 73 million sharks were killed and traded annually in commercial markets.

1996: Estimated Sharks Killed for Fins

From 1996 to 2000, an estimated 38 million sharks had been killed per year for harvesting shark fins.

2000: Shark Finning Prohibition Act

In 2000, the United States Congress passed the Shark Finning Prohibition Act, intending to ban the practice of shark finning while at sea.

2000: Estimated Shark Finning Yields

Shark finning yields are estimated at 1.44 million metric tons in 2000, translating to a total annual mortality estimate of about 100 million sharks.

2001: Shark Attack Fatalities

Between 2001 and 2006, the average number of worldwide fatalities per year from unprovoked shark attacks was 4.3.

2001: Sharks Killed on lethal drum lines in Queensland

From 2001 to 2018, a total of 10,480 sharks were killed on lethal drum lines in Queensland, including in the Great Barrier Reef.

2003: European Union Shark Finning Ban

In 2003, the European Union introduced a general shark finning ban for all vessels of all nationalities in Union waters and for all vessels flying a flag of one of its member states.

September 2004: Great White Shark Held in Captivity

In September 2004, the Monterey Bay Aquarium successfully kept a young female great white shark in captivity for 198 days before releasing her, marking the first time this species had been successfully held for an extended period.

2005: Shark Fin Exports to Singapore

It is estimated by TRAFFIC that over 14,000 tonnes of shark fins were exported into Singapore between 2005–2007 and 2012–2014.

2006: International Shark Attack File Investigation

In 2006, the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) investigated 96 alleged shark attacks, confirming 62 as unprovoked and 16 as provoked.

2007: Shark Fin Exports to Singapore

It is estimated by TRAFFIC that over 14,000 tonnes of shark fins were exported into Singapore between 2005–2007 and 2012–2014.

2007: Release of Sharkwater Documentary

The 2007 documentary "Sharkwater" exposed how sharks are being hunted to extinction.

2008: Marine Animals Killed in Nets in New South Wales

Between 1950 and 2008, a total of 15,135 marine animals were killed in nets in New South Wales, including dolphins, whales, turtles, dugongs, and critically endangered grey nurse sharks.

2008: Federal Appeals Court Ruling on Shark Finning Prohibition Act

In 2008, a Federal Appeals Court ruled that a loophole in the Shark Finning Prohibition Act allowed non-fishing vessels to purchase shark fins from fishing vessels while on the high seas.

2008: Estimate of Sharks Killed Annually

In 2008, it was estimated that nearly 100 million sharks were being killed by people every year due to commercial and recreational fishing.

2009: Shark Fin Prices

In 2009, shark fins sell for about $300/lb.

2009: IUCN Red List Identifies Shark Species at Risk

In 2009, the International Union for Conservation of Nature's IUCN Red List of Endangered Species named 64 species, one-third of all oceanic shark species, as being at risk of extinction due to fishing and shark finning.

March 2010: Memorandum of Understanding on Migratory Sharks

Under the auspices of the Bonn Convention, the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks came into effect in March 2010, aiming at facilitating international coordination for the protection, conservation and management of migratory sharks.

December 2010: Passage of the Shark Conservation Act

In December 2010, the Shark Conservation Act was passed by Congress, seeking to close the loophole in the Shark Finning Prohibition Act.

2010: Hawaii Bans Shark Fins

In 2010 Hawaii became the first U.S. state to prohibit the possession, sale, trade or distribution of shark fins.

2010: Greenpeace Adds Sharks to Seafood Red List

In 2010, Greenpeace International added the school shark, shortfin mako shark, mackerel shark, tiger shark and spiny dogfish to its seafood red list, a list of common supermarket fish that are often sourced from unsustainable fisheries.

2010: CITES Rejects Shark Trade Regulation Proposals

In 2010, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) rejected proposals that would have required countries to strictly regulate trade in several species of scalloped hammerhead, oceanic whitetip and spiny dogfish sharks.

2010: Estimated Shark Finning Yields

Shark finning yields are estimated at 1.41 million metric tons in 2010, translating to a total annual mortality estimate of about 97 million sharks.

January 2011: Shark Conservation Act Signed into Law

In January 2011, the Shark Conservation Act was signed into law, closing the loophole in the Shark Finning Prohibition Act.

2012: Shark Fin Exports to Singapore

It is estimated by TRAFFIC that over 14,000 tonnes of shark fins were exported into Singapore between 2005–2007 and 2012–2014.

March 2013: Shark Species Added to CITES Appendix 2

In March 2013, three endangered commercially valuable sharks, the hammerheads, the oceanic whitetip and porbeagle were added to Appendix 2 of CITES, bringing shark fishing and commerce of these species under licensing and regulation.

June 2013: Amendment to EU Shark Finning Ban

In June 2013, the European Union shark finning ban was amended to close remaining loopholes.

July 2013: New York Bans Shark Fin Trade

In July 2013, New York state banned the shark fin trade, joining other states and territories in providing legal protection to sharks.

2014: Shark Cull in Western Australia

In 2014, a shark cull in Western Australia killed dozens of sharks using drum lines, until it was cancelled after public protests and a decision by the Western Australia EPA. From 2014 to 2017, there was an "imminent threat" policy in Western Australia in which sharks that "threatened" humans in the ocean were shot and killed.

2014: Shark Fin Exports to Singapore

It is estimated by TRAFFIC that over 14,000 tonnes of shark fins were exported into Singapore between 2005–2007 and 2012–2014.

2016: Great White Shark Sleep Swimming Captured on Video

In 2016, a great white shark was captured on video for the first time in a state researchers believed was sleep swimming, indicating that some sharks may be able to swim while sleeping.

March 2017: "Imminent threat" policy Cancelled

In March 2017, the "imminent threat" policy in Western Australia, which allowed the killing of sharks that "threatened" humans in the ocean, was cancelled.

August 2018: Re-introduction of Drum Lines in Western Australia

In August 2018, the Western Australia government announced a plan to re-introduce drum lines, but this time the drum lines are "SMART" drum lines.

2018: Total Sharks Killed by Queensland Authorities

From 1962 to 2018, roughly 50,000 sharks were killed by Queensland authorities.

January 16, 2019: States with Laws Against Shark Fin Trade

As of January 16, 2019, 12 states including (Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, California, Illinois, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada, Rhode Island, Washington, New York and Texas) along with 3 U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands) have passed laws against the sale or possession of shark fins.

April 2020: Tracing Shark Fin Origins with DNA Analysis

In April 2020 researchers reported to have traced the origins of shark fins of endangered hammerhead sharks from a retail market in Hong Kong back to their source populations using DNA analysis.

July 2020: Global Survey of Reef Shark Conservation Status

In July 2020, scientists reported results of a survey estimating the conservation status of reef sharks globally. Sharks were absent on almost 20% of surveyed reefs.

2021: Decline in Oceanic Sharks and Rays Due to Overfishing

According to a 2021 study in Nature, overfishing has resulted in a 71% global decline in the number of oceanic sharks and rays over the preceding 50 years. The oceanic whitetip, and both the scalloped hammerhead and great hammerheads are now classified as critically endangered.