Help Ban the International Shark Fin Trade

Sharks. For many, these ancient and majestic creatures evoke fear and repulsion, leading to a significant lack of empathy on their behalf, even among some of the most ardent animal lovers. However, sharks are deeply misunderstood animals that play a crucial role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems and are highly intelligent, emotionally complex, social, and sentient. They deserve not only our respect but also protection from the horrors of the shark fin trade, which is driving many species of these critical predators, who have freely roamed our oceans for hundreds of millions of years, predating both trees and dinosaurs, to the brink of extinction.

Shark finning is one of the cruelest practices in the animal trade and involves cutting the fins off of live sharks, which are then thrown back into the ocean to die slow, agonizing deaths. Sharks cannot swim once their fins are viciously cut from their bodies, meaning the sharks who fall victim to this industry may die of suffocation, starvation, bleed to death, or be eaten alive by other animals while they are helpless and immobile.

Sharks have often been portrayed as vicious, solitary creatures villainized in popular culture. In reality, research has shown that this is a misleading depiction. Sharks have distinct personalities, with some being bold and curious while others are shy and cautious. Studies on shark socialization have revealed that sharks can form long-lasting friendships, spending days with preferred companions. They are capable of social interactions once considered only possible in higher-order mammals like chimpanzees, and some sharks even recognize and form attachments to human divers. Like any animal, sharks deserve compassion and to live in peace without being violently mutilated and thrown back to die a slow, torturous death.

Every year, around 73 million sharks are killed due to the international shark fin trade. This massive loss of life has led to a 71% decline in shark and ray populations over the last 50 years, which, beyond the cruelty of the industry, has far-reaching negative consequences for marine ecosystems. When shark populations rapidly decline, it can trigger an effect called a “trophic cascade,” meaning shark prey populations also increase at unsustainable rates. The smaller predatory fish that sharks typically feed on may then overconsume algae-eating fish, disrupting the balance of the ecosystem. This leads to algae blooms that can kill coral reefs. In addition, an overabundance of smaller fish and sea turtles, which would normally be kept in check by sharks, eat seagrasses. Seagrasses are crucial for storing carbon, and their overconsumption can contribute to more rapid global warming.

The shark fin trade is primarily fueled by the demand for shark fin soup, considered a delicacy in China and other parts of East Asia. Despite shark fins being made of cartilage and therefore tasteless, a bowl of shark fin soup can cost over $100 in China due to the mistaken belief that the fins have special medicinal benefits. Shark fins are also used in traditional Asian medicine without evidence of real healing effects, even though shark meat has been found to be highly contaminated with methylmercury, which can be dangerous to human health.

Although East Asian countries, particularly China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and Thailand, are the largest importers of shark fins, the shark fin trade involves nations across the globe. Countries around the world are complicit through shark fishing and the export of fins to markets where the demand remains high. In recent years, many nations have taken individual steps to curb the trade. For instance, the United States, once the fourth-largest exporter of shark products, passed the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act in 2022, effectively banning the trade. While this is a positive move, such actions alone are insufficient as the demand for shark fins remains high in countries where the trade is still legal, making enforcement difficult in countries where it is banned.

Mexico, for example, has its own ban on shark fin exports, yet it continues to be a major exporter. Similarly, Spain and Portugal, as members of the European Union, are subject to EU regulations aimed at limiting shark fin exports, but unfortunately, both countries remain significant players in the trade.

It is clear that nothing short of a global ban will be sufficient to end this horrific, cruel, and environmentally disastrous trade. One international body that could make a real difference is CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. CITES has the power to designate certain species under Appendix I, which means the species is considered threatened with extinction and is therefore prohibited from international trade unless under exceptional circumstances. This classification provides the highest level of protection to species at risk of extinction. CITES used this power to list African elephant under Appendix I, which led to a ban on the international trade of ivory, helped curb poaching and allowed elephant populations to recover. Sharks, however, do not receive the same protection, despite the fact that many species are threatened or endangered and tens of millions are being slaughtered each year for their fins. 

While some shark species are listed under CITES Appendix II, allowing regulated trade, this system is often exploited, continuing overfishing and illegal finning. To truly protect sharks, CITES should uplist all threatened shark species to Appendix I, effectively banning the international shark fin trade as it did for ivory. Without decisive action, shark populations will continue to decline, disrupting marine ecosystems and endangering biodiversity.

Take Action Now

Please join Species Unite in calling on CITES to take bold action, as they did to protect elephants, by banning the international shark fin trade under Appendix I.