News

A senior marine scientist has welcomed European Commission proposals for a shark conservation action plan.

Sarah Fowler, co-chairwoman of the IUCN shark specialist group, described the plan as "great news" for the creatures.

About 32% of shark species that are found in the north-eastern Atlantic are said to be "threatened with extinction".

The main threats to the slow-growing creatures were overfishing and being caught in nets as bycatch, she added.

She told BBC News that species such as the angel shark and common skate were among the species to be assessed as "critically endangered" by the IUCN Red List, which was last updated in 2007.

"The structure of the Commission's proposal is great; it makes me very optimistic," Ms Fowler said.

Taking stock

The Community Action Plan for Sharks, which will be presented to the European Parliament and member nations at the end of the year, is designed to reverse the decline of sharks in European waters...