Millions of sharks are caught as bycatch in longline, trawl, and gillnet fisheries each year. Most are discarded dead or dying, representing one of the largest sources of shark mortality globally.
Sharks caught as bycatch experience prolonged suffering: entanglement stress, gill compression from being out of water, barotrauma from depth changes, and mutilation before discard. Many are still alive when thrown back. The ecological impact of bycatch compounds individual welfare harm — removing apex predators destabilises marine ecosystems affecting billions of other animals. Technical solutions including circle hooks, weak links, and spatial management reduce bycatch effectively.