Millions of sharks die each year by accidental capture on longlines and fishing nets.

Overfishing and finning are the biggest threats to shark populations globally, but accidental capture is also a huge problem. Millions of sharks die every year having been caught by means intended to catch other fish, especially on longlines intended for tuna and swordfish.

Netting is also a big problem, and many sharks drown every year after becoming entangled in nets intended for other species. As many as 100,000 sharks die in the Mediterranean as a result of bycatch every year.

Some species, such as basking sharks, are resilient enough to survive accidental capture in nets, even if they have spent several hours out of water. But most sharks caught in this way are not so lucky, and some studies show that over 75% of sharks caught accidentally die before they can be released unharmed. While bycatch of other species such as dolphins has declined, after highly publicised campaigns to protect them, the undeserved bad reputation of sharks is slowing down efforts to protect them from this wasteful and destructive practice.