Great white sharks in the Mediterranean Sea are in danger of disappearing, with illegal fishing contributing to their decline.

This is according to research by US scientists, working in partnership with UK charity Blue Marine Foundation. They say some of the most threatened species - including great white sharks - are being sold in North African fish markets.

Great whites are one of more than 20 Mediterranean shark species protected under international law, meaning it is illegal to fish for them or to sell them.

By monitoring fishing ports on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, however, researchers discovered that at least 40 great white sharks have been killed there in 2025 alone.

The BBC has also found, and independently verified, footage from social media of protected sharks being brought dead into North African ports.

Lead researcher, Dr Francesco Ferretti from the US university Virginia Tech, explained that many shark populations - white sharks in particular - had declined dramatically in the Mediterranean in recent decades. No other stretch of water is fished like the Mediterranean Sea, he said.

The Mediterranean white shark population is now classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

In their latest attempt to find and study the predators, Dr Ferretti and his team worked in the Strait of Sicily - an area identified as a last stronghold for several threatened shark species.

One key aim of their mission was to fit a satellite tracking tag onto a white shark - something that has never been done in the Mediterranean Sea.

Despite efforts, researchers did not manage to find any sharks to tag. Dr Ferretti expressed concern, highlighting the degradation of the marine ecosystem.

The protection of these sharks is complicated by socioeconomic factors, as many fishers in North Africa struggle with the choice between livelihood and conservation. Recommendations for sustainable fishing practices and international collaboration are crucial for the recovery of these magnificent creatures.