The captive breeding project ‘Acció Stellaris’ has released 141 small sharks into the Balearic Islands’ seas since its launch in 2021, focusing on the conservation of the alitan shark (Scyliorhinus stellaris), classified as endangered. Supported by local fishermen’s associations, the program uses adult sharks caught accidentally to produce offspring in captivity, which are cared for until they reach juvenile stages and then released. To date, 382 sharks have been born across facilities at Palma Aquarium, IRFAP-LIMIA, and the Cabrera National Park visitor centre. Released sharks are tagged for monitoring, with advanced acoustic technology used on some juveniles to track their movements and survival. This initiative addresses the critical decline of Mediterranean shark populations and aims to improve conservation efforts.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.