What Shark is Used For
Many people assume that because they don’t eat shark fin soup – then they can’t possibly be contributing to the demise of the sharks and rays. And while shark fin soup does account for a considerable amount of shark consumption, there are many other culprits. It isn’t just something that can be blamed on a single culture or country.
Often, it is surprising to discover what shark is actually used in. And it isn’t always the usual, easy to identify products, say with the word shark in the product name, like shark steaks, shark teeth or shark leather. Certain energy drinks, pet supplements, vitamins, lotions, dog chew toys, and even lipsticks - to name but a few - are all known to contain shark products. And often, shark is mislabeled as other, more appealing fish.So here is an ever-growing list of uses for shark products, some obvious, some surprising.
Common Uses for Shark & Rays:
| Shark fin soup | |
| Supplements / alternative medicine | Shark cartilage pills Powder Shark Liver Oil Manta gill rakers |
| Squalene/Squalane (Shark Liver Oil) | Lotions Sunscreen Medicinal creams Vaccines Lip balm Face cream Cosmetics |
| Fish & Chips | Rock salmon White fish fillets |
| Steaks / fillets (shark & ray) | |
| Leather (shark & ray) | |
| Souvenirs | Teeth Jaws |
| Pet products | Food Chews Supplements |
| Imitation crab, lobster, shrimp | Surim |
All of these products, if consumed, can include toxic methyl-mercury.
It is also important to note that more than ½ of the sharks caught are caught as bycatch by tuna, marlin and other open water fishermen. Thus, ensuring you aren’t harming shark means not eating fish.
Where to commonly find shark:
| Restaurants | Grocery stores |
| Fish & Chip shops | Online marketplaces |
| Health food stores | Souvenir shops |
| Pharmacies | Clothing & leather good stores |
| Cosmetic / Drug stores | Pet stores |
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