Of issues and major findings -- Introduction -- Overview of relevant fleet characteristics -- Current practices in commercial fisheries and attitudes towards sharks -- Existing markets for sharks and shark fins from domestic vessels -- Estimates of landings and landed value -- The importance of income from shark fin sales to vessel crews -- The direct economic contribution of sharks to the economies of Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa -- Sharks in cultural context -- Identification and discussion of management alternatives -- References.

This important and exciting title represents the first authoritative volume focussed on pelagic (open ocean) sharks as a group. Virtually every pelagic shark expert in the world has contributed to this landmark publication which includes the latest data and knowledge on pelagic shark biology, fisheries, management, and conservation. Pelagic sharks face unprecedented levels of exploitation in all the world's oceans through both direct fisheries and by-catch, and effective management for these species is contingent upon solid science and data, which this book brings together for the first time. All those involved in shark biology will need to have a copy of this book.