Central And South American Pacific Sharks Face A Conservation Crisis

Over a third of shark, ray, and chimaera species are threatened with extinction, with overfishing driving declines. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are one of our best conservation tools, but many in the Central and South American Pacific region are too small, poorly managed, or don’t overlap with critical habitats. The Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) approach provides a roadmap for smarter protection, helping nations hit the 30×30 target while actually safeguarding sharks.

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Sharks, rays, and chimaeras are among the most threatened vertebrate groups on the planet, second only to amphibians; according to the IUCN Red List, 37% of these species are at risk of extinction (and one species is already extinct). Sharks play an essential role in marine ecosystems, shaping prey populations and maintaining ecological balance, so their decline has ripple effects across entire oceanic food webs, affecting biodiversity and ecosystem services that people rely on (from healthy fisheries to climate regulation). As ocean use becomes increasingly industrialized, marine species face escalating pressures, and sharks — with their slow reproductive rates and selective harvesting risks — are particularly vulnerable. The leading threat they collectively face is overfishing, but habitat degradation, pollution, and climate change amplify the danger.

The global biodiversity crisis is accelerating, with human-driven activities such as overexploitation and habitat modification affecting up to 90% of the ocean’s surface. So, it stands to reason that protecting critical habitats is vital to halt biodiversity loss, which is where Marine Protected Areas come into play. In theory, MPAs can reduce fishing pressure, safeguard habitats, and help rebuild populations. In practice, however… not so much. Many MPAs fall short of protecting wide-ranging, migratory species like sharks, particularly if they are too small, poorly enforced, or disconnected from areas that these species need throughout their lives. While a push for conserving animals like sharks has gained momentum in recent decades (i.e. the Aichi Biodiversity Targets set a goal of protecting 10% of marine areas by 2020, and the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework raised the bar with the “30×30” goal to safeguard 30% of land and sea by 2030), their success hinges on effective spatial planning and robust management. This is particularly true for species like sharks whose needs are not adequately met by most existing MPAs.

The Central and South American Pacific region, as a recent publication points out, is a prime example of both the opportunities and challenges of shark conservation. This vast and ecologically rich area includes parts of Mexico, Central and South America, and numerous oceanic islands, making it one of the most biologically dynamic regions in the world. To date, it is home to 188 shark species, including 95 shark, 82 ray, and 11 chimaera species. Yet, despite its biodiversity, protection is mismatched — while some countries (like Costa Rica and Colombia) have established large MPAs, others (including El Salvador, Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras) still protect less than 10% of their waters. And here’s the kicker: nearly 42% of the MPAs in this region don’t even have a management plan! Without enforcement or clear rules, a “protected” area can be little more than a line on a map that no one is paying attention to.

That’s where the Important Shark and Ray Areas framework comes in. To address these gaps, experts developed ISRA to identify regions of high ecological value for sharks. ISRAs are delineated based on criteria such as vulnerability, range restriction, key life-history stages (like breeding or feeding grounds), and unique ecological characteristics. These scientifically defined areas are mapped and have then been made publicly available to guide conservation decisions. In 2022, a workshop in Bogotá, Colombia, brought together regional experts who identified 65 ISRAs in the Central and South American Pacific. However, overlap between ISRAs and existing MPAs is only about 15.6%, and when you look at stricter no-take MPAs, the overlap drops to just 7.3%, meaning much of the critical habitat remains unprotected or under weak management.

That doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in these areas meeting the 30×30 target.

Sharks don’t care about political borders, so protecting them effectively will require international cooperation and management plans that take their biology and behavior into account. For migratory species, that might mean creating very large MPAs or networks of smaller ones that connect key habitats. But their conservation will require more than simply increasing the size or number of MPAs — effective protection means considering shark biology, movement patterns, and ecological roles in spatial planning. No point in protecting a swath of ocean in the name of shark conservation if it isn’t actually a location that is beneficial/important to them! That means dynamic management, which uses real-time data to adjust protections seasonally or based on shark movements, will continue to ramp up as a promising tool for conservationists to utilize. Additionally, enforcement is key: even a well-designed MPA can fail if illegal or unsustainable fishing continues unchecked. Countries could also strengthen protections by converting partially protected areas into no-take zones or adjusting MPA boundaries to cover critical sites identified by ISRAs. Such measures would not only help sharks but also enhance ecosystem resilience, benefiting fisheries and coastal communities.

As the researchers pointed out in their publication, countries in the region are making strides. Mexico, Costa Rica, and Colombia stand out with relatively strong governance frameworks and high MPA-ISRA overlap. Panama, Honduras, and Ecuador have also prioritized shark habitats in their conservation planning. Yet, the remaining six nations contribute little to regional shark protection, underscoring the need for coordinated international action. Given the migratory nature of many species, conservation success will depend on collaboration across borders, particularly in high seas areas. Although sharks have survived for over 400 million years, their future depends on decisive action today. With one-third of species at risk, failing to protect these predators would have profound consequences for marine ecosystems and the people who rely on them. The science is clear that data-driven spatial planning, international cooperation, and robust enforcement are non-negotiable. By using tools like ISRAs, we can move beyond symbolic protections and create a future where sharks thrive alongside healthy oceans.