New Delhi :
On the global list of shark fishing nations, India stands second after Indonesia. Fishing of sharks has progressed in the country from being targeted to incidental in the previous years.
Under India's Wildlife Protection Act of India 1972, of the 88 shark species found in Indian waters, four have been listed as protected under Schedule I.
Hunting, exploitation and trade of these four species - whale shark (Rhincodon typus), Pondicherry shark (Carcharhinus hemiodon), Ganges shark (Glyphis gangeticus) and the speartooth shark (Glyphis glyphis) is banned.
According to WWF, India had also announced ban on practice of shark finning. One of the reports released last year, around one in four species of sharks, rays and skates is now considered to be threatened globally, primarily due to overfishing.
Globally July 14 is observed as Shark Awareness Day to promote conservation of species, for a better understanding and also to address some of the threats facing sharks in oceans across the world. Dwindling population of sharks has been one of the major concerns in the world.
