Tommy Trenchard
Hooked
‘Accidental bycatch’ of a requiem shark, Atlantic Ocean, 2019
Category - Humanity versus Nature
A requiem shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) described as ‘accidental bycatch’ is hauled aboard a Spanish longline fishing vessel in the mid-Atlantic Ocean, a few hundred miles southeast of St Helena. Longlining is a devastatingly effective fishing method that sees boats deploying lines often tens of kilometres long, baited with thousands of hooks. They frequently claim victims other than their target species. Around 80 million sharks are taken from the ocean each year, and according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), roughly three-quarters of all shark and ray species are now considered to be at risk of extinction. As apex predators, their plight affects the entire ocean ecosystem. During the research expedition when this photo was taken, researchers regularly documented longline fishing vessels catching far more sharks than their target species. The sharks are killed and stored in the vessel’s hold to be sold at port. The global market for shark fins and other products derived from these animals is booming, making them a valuable catch for fishing vessels.
50-230 mm f/4.5-6.7 Lens - 1/550 sec at f/5.2 ISO 500