Silky sharks are important to longline and gillnet fisheries in many parts of the world. In the Gulf of Mexico they are often caught with tuna catches, but are also caught by shark fishery. In the Caribbean they are sometimes fished, usually by longline, but they are not a common catch. In the Maldives and Sri Lanka, they are the most important shark species, making up 70-80% of the catches made in the pelagic zone. In Japanese waters, Silky sharks are a common target species of the shark fishery and are also caught with swordfish and tuna fisheries. In the mid-Atlantic waters of the U.S.A, the Silky shark is fished on a limited basis, but not in significant numbers. The meat, oil, and fins of the Silky shark are sold commercially. The Silky shark is also fished by recreational fishermen. Like other sharks, the Silky shark is in danger due to overfishing, because of its long gestation period, low number of offspring, and slow growth rate.