Advancing Wire-Trace Restrictions to Reduce Shark Mortality in Indian Ocean Longline Fisheries

Every year, countless sharks die on tuna and swordfish longlines in the Indian Ocean, caught on wire leaders they are unable to bite through. A simple change - swapping wire for monofilament line - lets many sharks bite free and swim away alive, and it is one of the most consistently supported, low-cost fixes in fisheries. Yet it is still not the rule. This project turns scattered science into a clear, decision-ready case for the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission: how much shark mortality a basin-wide wire ban would prevent, what stands in the way, and the exact measure text to adopt. Working as an accredited observer, Sharkproject brings this evidence to the Commission and helps a member country champion it, building on the IOTC's 2025 shark resolution. The goal is a binding, ocean-wide switch to monofilament that gives vulnerable species (shortfin mako, oceanic whitetip, silky and thresher sharks) a real chance to survive the hook.