Sales of shark fins could lead to the ancient creatures being wiped out
The fins are cut off of the sharks and used for the high-end dish shark fin soup. Getty Images
Watch out, Jaws — your days could be numbered.
Greed-driven fishermen and traders are flouting international rules for huge profits in the illegal shark fin market, and new research from Florida International University shows this could push some shark species to extinction.
Published in Science Advances, the study found that fins from four of the five shark species protected under the 2014 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) are still widely available in Hong Kong’s markets, the world’s main hub for shark fins. These threatened species include three large hammerhead sharks (scalloped, smooth, and great), the porbeagle, and the oceanic whitetip.
“Many sharks are at risk of extinction because international trade in shark products, such as dried fins used in the luxury dish shark fin soup, is driving fishing beyond the species’ ability to recover,” said Dr. Demian Chapman, director of the Shark and Rays Conservation Research Program at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Florida. “The evidence of widespread illegal trade is clear and alarming.”
Despite 2014 regulations requiring that all trade be reported and certified as sustainable, 81% of countries exporting shark fins have never reported trade in these protected species — a strong sign that illegal activity continues.
“There’s a huge gap between what’s on paper and what’s happening in the real world,” said Dr. Diego Cardeñosa, lead author of the study. “DNA evidence confirms that protected species are still entering global markets at dangerous rates.” The study identified several countries likely involved in high-level illegal shark fin trade, including Spain, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, China, the Philippines, Ghana, and Brazil.
Millions of pounds of shark meat and fins move through international markets each year. Hong Kong leads as the center for shark fins, which are used in soups, traditional medicine, and as trophies. The demand fuels shark hunting and “finning,” a cruel practice in which fins are cut from live sharks, which are then thrown back into the ocean to die. Sharks have been swimming the Earth’s oceans for more than 450 million years.
“We are reaching a tipping point,” warned Dr. Cardeñosa. “If shark fishing and trade aren’t drastically reduced, these species could vanish. Losing top predators would disrupt ocean ecosystems in unpredictable ways that ultimately harm humans.”
Still, scientists remain cautiously optimistic.
“Shining a light on this illegal trade is a crucial step toward protecting these animals,” said Chapman.
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