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The increasing international demand for shark meat and shark fins, which is pushing some species towards extinction, has caught marine scientists and managers by surprise, says one of Cape Town's few shark scientists.

"We just weren't ready to deal with the situation," says Alison Kock, a PhD student who is researching False Bay's Great Whites and who works at the Shark Research Centre at the Iziko Museum.

"Regulations either aren't in place or are not effective in conserving most species."

A particular area of concern is Mozambique, where levels of exploitation of many shark species is substantially higher than on the South African coast but where enforcement capacity is limited, says Geremy Cliff of the Natal Sharks Board. Tanzania is also an area of concern.

The two shark scientists were commenting after the announcement last week that nine shark species are being added to the 126 already on the world's endangered list and a warning that oceans are being emptied of sharks by over-fishing and finning.

While the scalloped hammerhead shark, whose population has declined by 99 percent over the past 30 years in some regions, is particularly vulnerable, the smooth hammerhead, shortfin mako, common thresher, big-eye thresher, silky, tiger, bull and dusky sharks will also be added to the list.