We stand at a crossroads where we must decide whether to continue pursuing short-term gains through intensive fishing, or to invest in the long-term conservation and sustainable management of sharks. Synthesising the protection of sharks such as the blue shark (Prionace glauca) with their sustainable utilisation in ecotourism is also a financially prudent decision – for the local economy and for the preservation of biodiversity. This is the conclusion of a new report on blue sharks in the Azores and northern Spain. Notably, a deceased blue shark yields only 150 to 160 EUR. Conversely, the value of a living individual is derived from five components: 1. Carbon Value: ?? EUR (Northern Spain) ?? EUR (Azores). Carbon value refers to the contribution of blue sharks to the carbon cycle via their position in the food web. Sharks prey on fish that consume plankton, which in turn fixes carbon through photosynthesis. They thus contribute to carbon sequestration. However, there is a lack of concrete scientific evidence regarding the precise quantity of carbon sequestered by sharks. With scientific validation still outstanding, this positive value must currently be assumed to be €0. 2. Hedge Value: EUR 8.0m (Northern Spain) EUR 9.5m (Azores). The hedge value is a statistically determined financial value that a stakeholder would be willing to pay to maintain a population between the minimum viable size and the carrying capacity. It represents a form of "insurance" against fluctuations in population levels. 3. Aesthetic Value: EUR 34.9m (Northern Spain) EUR 17.0m (Azores). Aesthetic value is generated by biodiversity, and the amenity and quality of life afforded by the species and its habitat. It is calculated as the maximum willingness to pay by an individual to observe the species, combined with the price a consumer would pay for products associated with the species on e-commerce platforms. 4. Impact Value: EUR 7.2m (Northern Spain) EUR 4.6m (Azores). The impact value is the incremental value generated by sustainably increasing the population through active conservation measures or wildlife management, accounting for management efficacy, ecosystem dynamics, and external variables. 5. Economic Value: EUR 7.6m (Northern Spain) EUR 8.2m (Azores). Economic value is the direct contribution of the species to the economy, calculated by assessing its impact across up to 28 distinct economic sectors. 6. Total Conservation Value: EUR 57.8m (Northern Spain) EUR 39.3m (Azores). The total conservation value is the sum of the species existence value and the impact value. It represents the aggregate value generated by the species' population when sustainably and actively protected and managed. Based on the estimated abundance of the blue shark in the North Atlantic (Spain) and the Azores (Portugal), this implies a mean total conservation value of EUR 1,504 per shark in the North Atlantic off Spain, and EUR 1,948 per shark in the Portuguese Azores. These figures reflect the contribution of blue sharks to society, the economy, and the environment over a 30-year projection. A summary of the two reports, which were funded by ElasmOcean and Stop Finning Deutschland, is available at https://sharkallies.org/valuation-reports – the full reports can be requested directly from Shark Allies.
