By Anadolu staff
ISTANBUL (AA) - Deepwater gulper sharks, targeted for their liver oil used in cosmetics and personal care products, have been granted new international trade protections in what conservation groups are calling a “watershed moment.”
According to a report by CNN on Friday, scientists warned that three-quarters of gulper shark species are now threatened with extinction.
The prehistoric sharks, which can live at depths from 200 to 1,500 meters (650 to 4,900 feet), are prized for liver oil that is particularly rich in squalene, a compound commonly used for its antioxidant and moisturizing properties in products ranging from makeup and sunscreen to aftershave and even nicotine patches.
At the 20th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Uzbekistan, officials listed gulper sharks on Appendix II, which regulates trade across borders.
Other threatened sharks and rays, including whale sharks, oceanic white tip sharks and manta rays, were moved to Appendix I, which bans all commercial trade.
Luke Warwick, director of shark and ray conservation at the Wildlife Conservation Society, said in a statement that the new protections could not come soon enough. “Sharks and rays are the second most imperiled group of species on the planet, and many are running out of time … Today’s votes give them a real chance at recovery,” he said.
The protections are especially important for deepwater species, which have historically been overlooked by trade regulations.
The report notes that, prior to the decision, none of the more than 145 sharks and rays listed in the CITES Appendix II were deepwater species. But improved fishing technology and declining coastal fish stocks have made deepwater sharks increasingly vulnerable.
Research shows gulper sharks mature late and reproduce slowly, making their populations particularly sensitive to overfishing.
A 2024 study in Science found that some gulper shark populations have dropped more than 80% in certain regions, and one species may take decades to recover.