At a fish market in Tripoli, Libya, traders sell trays piled with frozen seafood — octopus, squid, shrimp — but also sharks, some with bellies swollen with eggs. Dozens of longnose spurdogs, known locally as “kalb al-bahr,” were openly displayed despite being caught mid-breeding season. A fisherman who asked to remain anonymous said there is no monitoring at sea or at point-of-sale in Libya. Because the spurdogs sell cheaply and provide income amid the country’s deep economic crisis, fishers often ignore restrictions on fishing during breeding periods. The species is especially vulnerable: females produce only one to six pups per pregnancy, so sustained fishing pressure can rapidly deplete populations.
The longnose spurdog is not the only species at risk. A 2021 study found oceanic shark and ray populations have declined by 71% since 1970, and IUCN data indicate roughly 38% of shark and ray species are threatened with extinction. Libyan waters are among the region’s most important shark habitats. Marine biologist Sara Al‑Mabrouk started using social media after seeing photos of fishermen hauling endangered species from local waters. She asked fishers to send photos and information when sharks appeared in their nets, built an awareness campaign, used local radio, and met fishermen to explain why protection is urgent.
Her outreach has had some success: a fisherman contacted her saying he had found a small pregnant shark and returned it to the sea. Still, Al‑Mabrouk fears for the longnose spurdog, which is listed as “data deficient” on the IUCN Red List because of insufficient information. Species initially classed as data deficient have later been designated threatened once better data were available — a scenario she hopes to avoid. Sharks regulate mid-level predators, so their decline can unbalance food webs and eventually affect commercially important fish like sardines and mullet that coastal communities rely on.
The Marine Biology Society, a Libyan NGO, has documented 30 shark species in Libyan waters and notes several are regularly caught and sold. Libya has a fisheries law from 1989 that technically lets authorities regulate seasons and gear, but enforcement is weak and nearly impossible offshore without fleet compliance. The law also does not list prohibited species. Regional coordination on monitoring shared waters, data exchange and enforcing conservation measures is limited.
Modern fishing methods often do not distinguish species, leading to accidental captures that are sometimes brought ashore for sale. Still, there are signs of growing awareness among fishers. Abdullah Al‑Fitouri, a small-scale fisherman in Tobruk who co-founded the Life Organization for Marine Conservation in 2021, says fishermen are learning the importance of marine biodiversity and want to protect the sea because their livelihoods depend on it.
Libya’s recent history of revolution and instability, and ongoing economic hardship, make conservation a difficult priority. Yet intervening now to safeguard sharks and marine ecosystems could help secure sustainable fisheries for years to come.
This story was produced with support from Internews’ Earth Journalism Network. Edited by: Tamsin Walker.