eDNA Monitoring for Deep‐Sea Sharks: Minimum Standards for the Reopened Maldives Gulper Shark Fishery
Abstract
ABSTRACT The Maldives reopened a collapsed gulper shark fishery in November 2025 without stock assessment or recovery evidence. Applying the precautionary approach requires three minimum standards for managing reopened or proposed fisheries: transparent recovery assessment, independent population monitoring and funded operational plans with decision rules. I propose that environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a non‐lethal, scalable monitoring tool to support evidence‐based fishery decisions for threatened deep‐sea sharks.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
Ichthyology and Marine Biology
Identification and Quantification in Food
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Aquatic Conservation Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 3
- Publication date
- 1 March 2026
- Language
- EN