Great White Sharks on the Brink of Extinction in the Mediterranean Sea

Tue Dec 30 2025 11:35:43 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

New research indicates that great white sharks in the Mediterranean are facing severe threats from illegal fishing, potentially leading to their extinction.

A coalition of US scientists and the Blue Marine Foundation has reported alarming data indicating that great white sharks in the Mediterranean are at risk of extinction due to illegal fishing practices. Despite international protections, over 40 sharks have been reported killed in 2025 alone, raising concerns about the sustainability of shark populations in this region. Conservationists stress the importance of immediate action and collaboration among Mediterranean nations to address this crisis.

Great white sharks in the Mediterranean Sea are in danger of disappearing, with illegal fishing contributing to their decline.

This is according to research by US scientists, working in partnership with UK charity Blue Marine Foundation. They say some of the most threatened species - including great white sharks - are being sold in North African fish markets.

Great whites are one of more than 20 Mediterranean shark species protected under international law, meaning it is illegal to fish for them or to sell them.

By monitoring fishing ports on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, however, researchers discovered that at least 40 great white sharks have been killed there in 2025 alone.

The BBC has also found, and independently verified, footage from social media of protected sharks being brought dead into North African ports. One video showed a large great white being hauled ashore from a fishing boat in Algeria. Another, filmed in Tunisia, shows heads and fins of what appears to be a short-finned mako shark, which is also a threatened and protected species, being prepared for sale.

Last Shark Stronghold

Lead researcher, Dr Francesco Ferretti from the US university Virginia Tech, explained that many shark populations - white sharks in particular - had declined dramatically in the Mediterranean in recent decades.

Dr. Ferretti highlighted that industrial fishing is intensifying, and there is a serious risk of extinction for these predators if current practices continue. The Mediterranean white shark population is now classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

During a research mission in the Strait of Sicily, designated as a 'last stronghold' for several threatened shark species, efforts were made to tag a white shark with a satellite tracking device.

Despite extensive baiting and underwater monitoring efforts, the team did not find any sharks to tag, indicating a significant decline in the ecosystem's health.

Sharks for Sale

James Glancy from Blue Marine reported witnessing white sharks for sale at Tunisian fishing markets, presenting a paradox of both hope and urgency. The presence of sharks for sale indicates that wildlife still survives, but immediate actions are needed to ensure their protection.

What Can be Done?

In poorer communities, fishing for sharks is often a matter of survival, leading some fishermen to catch and sell protected species. Increased support for sustainable fishing practices could lead to the preservation of these vital species.

Glancy emphasized the need for collaborative efforts across Mediterranean nations to tackle illegal fishing and promote conservation. There is hope, but we have to act very quickly, he stated.