Shortfin mako sharks are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Vulnerable to extinction on a global scale and Critically Endangered in the Mediterranean, yet there are no Maltese, EU or international limits on catch of this species. For more information on the role of Malta in shark conservation and how you can help, visit www.sharkalliance.org .

In this press release from the IUCN Makos are cited as “vulnerable” to extinction:

The global threat status was heightened for shortfin mako, a favorite shark among commercial and recreational fishermen, from Near Threatened in 2000 to Vulnerable today.    …

“Of particular concern are the porbeagle and mako sharks in the Mediterranean,” warned Alen Soldo of the University of Split in Croatia, a pelagic shark expert who participated in the meeting. “Our studies reveal fishing pressure well beyond the reproductive capacity of the species and have led to Critically Endangered classifications for this region.”