Scuba divers known for years that over-fishing, by-catch and the insatiable demand for shark fin products have left the species facing the threat of extinction.
Now Jo Borg, European commissioner for maritime affairs and fisheries, has stepped in to help save the dwindling numbers from hunters.
And if politicians are finally prepared to act, the situation must be pretty bad- as they are not a normally a group willing to step in until the horse is not only out of the stable, but has vaulted the paddock fence and disappeared across next door's fields.
That said, it's better late then never - as long as the action plan lives up to its word.
The Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks aims to end overfishing, pay special attention to threatened shark species and close loopholes in the EU ban on shark finning in the hope of rebuilding shark stocks.
The EU fleet take around 100,000 tonnes of sharks and related species each year from the North Sea and the north-east Atlantic, which includes the Med, in an industry Commissioners now accept is lightly regulated, if at all.
The Fisheries Dept now acknowledge that: "Sharks, rays and chimaeras are ancient species that play a vital role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems.
"Since the mid-1980s, they have been under increasingly intense fishing pressure due to higher demand for shark products, especially in Asian markets.
"This over-exploitation affects populations that are generally fragile and is leading some species to the brink of extinction."
It goes on to state: "Shark populations are generally fragile because of certain characteristics of their life cycle: low fertility rate, large juveniles, slow growth and late maturity.
"Their capacity to restore their population in case of overfishing is consequently limited. As a result, these ancient species, which play a key role in maintaining balance in marine ecosystems, are sometimes endangered by overfishing and illegal fishing.
"For example, several species caught by the EU fleet in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean are on the Red List drawn up by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Some are 'critically endangered' (spurdog, porbeagle shark, several species of angel shark and ray), and others are 'endangered' (basking shark) or 'vulnerable' (short-finned mako, blue shark and hammerhead shark)."
Under the plan, (pdf version / Q&A details) catch limits will be set in line with scientific advice, fishing will be banned in areas crucial for reproduction and rearing young and observers placed on boats to report on the numbers of sharks being pulled in as bycatch.
The regulations will also apply to sharks' close relatives - skates and rays - and the restrictions will apply to all EU-registered vessels, wherever they operate.
Sonja Fordham, Policy Director for conservation charity, the Shark Alliance, said: “The release of the long-awaited EU Shark Plan represents a great step forward for the conservation of sharks in European waters and beyond.
"The Plan’s commitments to science-based fishing limits, endangered species protection, and a stronger finning ban are essential to securing a brighter future for some of Europe’s most vulnerable and neglected animals.”
Unfortunately the phrase "gradual implementation" appears throughout the document. But thanks to a suggestion by John Nightingale in his Biteback article in this month's Diver mag, maybe Jo Borg would like to hear your thoughts. he can be reached on cabinet-borg@ec.europa.eu
Some of us will remember the famous footage in the Blue Planet doc of hundreds of schooling hammerheads. Let's just hope that the EU aren't too late and one day when we jump in, cameras at the ready, to a hotspot for shark activity we can get to see sharks again in the numbers they should be.
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