Sign the petition to protect Brazil’s sharks and stop shark meat from being served in Brazilian public institutions.
Shark Angels and Sea Shepherd Brazil call on global citizens to stop a harmful practice that threatens endangered sharks and exposes vulnerable communities to toxic seafood. Public institutions should never serve shark meat linked to endangered species and mercury contamination.
Sign this petition and help protect sharks, safeguard public health, and push for responsible ocean policy. DON’T FORGET TO VERIFY YOUR SIGNATURE AFTER YOU SIGNED
Key Facts: Protect Brazil’s Sharks
- Brazil is one of the world’s largest consumers of shark meat.
- Shark meat is often sold under the name “cação,” which hides the species being consumed.
- Public institutions in Brazil have served shark meat in schools, hospitals, prisons, and military facilities.
- Shark meat frequently contains high levels of mercury and other toxic heavy metals.
- Endangered sharks are often sold in public institutions.
“Brazil has taken important steps, but as the world’s largest shark consumer, global pressure is key to turning progress into lasting protection.” — Nathalie Gil, President, Sea Shepherd Brasil
Why are sharks being served in Brazilian public institutions?
Because shark meat often costs less than other seafood, institutions purchase it for large meal programs.
Every other Monday is cação day at a school in Duque de Caxias, where some are pushing the city to remove shark meat from school meals.
Images courtesy of Solange Bergami, Mongabay.
Is shark meat dangerous to eat?
Yes. Sharks are long-lived predators accumulating dangerous levels of metals including:
- Mercury
- Lead
- Arsenic
- Cadmium
- Arsenic
- Persistent Industrial Pollutants
These toxins are suspected or known to be carcinogens or neurotoxins and are linked to :
- Nervous and cardiovascular system damage
- Impairment of cognitive and psychomotor development
- Reduced IQ and learning difficulties
- Cancer and organ damage (skin, liver, kidney)
- Serious birth defects
- Neurodevelopmental harm even at low levels (mercury and lead)
Public institutions should never serve shark meat linked to endangered species or toxic contamination. Protecting sharks protects ocean ecosystems and public health. — Shark Angels
Shark Angels and Sea Shepherd Brazil call for immediate action
Shark Angels and Sea Shepherd Brazil urge Brazilian authorities to take immediate action to protect sharks and safeguard public health.
We call on the following policymakers to:
• End the procurement of shark meat in public institutions such as schools, hospitals, prisons, and military facilities.
• Require clear species labeling for seafood products.
• Strengthen monitoring and enforcement of fisheries and seafood markets.
• Implement science-based fisheries management to protect threatened shark species.
• Expand marine protected areas that safeguard critical shark habitats.
Who are the policymakers?
- National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA)
- The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA)
- The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA)
Brazil has the opportunity to lead global shark conservation efforts by adopting responsible policies that protect marine ecosystems and public health.
Shark meat on sale in Brazil is labeled as cação, a generic term whose true meaning is unknown to most Brazilians, surveys show. Image by Philip Jacobson/Mongabay.
Why are sharks important to ocean ecosystems?
Sharks regulate marine food webs as apex predators. When shark populations decline, marine ecosystems can become unstable.
Environmental Impact: Endangered sharks and illegal trade
Endangered shark and ray species continue to enter Brazil’s cação (shark meat) supply chain, including species protected under Ordinance No. 445/2014, such as hammerhead sharks, angel sharks, and guitarfishes.
Mislabeling and weak traceability systems allow protected species to be sold illegally, accelerating biodiversity loss and undermining conservation laws. This lack of transparency conflicts with Brazil’s international commitments under CITES, CMS, and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Stronger monitoring, labeling, and enforcement are urgently needed to protect sharks and ensure sustainable fisheries.
The facts of toxic shark meat
- 5,400+ tons of shark meat supplied to public institutions in at least 10 Brazilian states.
- Nearly 6,000 institutions purchased shark meat (90% public schools, including over 1,100 nurseries and preschools).
- In Paraná alone, a state in Brazil: 600 metric tons to 2,250 public schools.
- 40% of blue shark samples exceeded Brazil’s mercury limit, some reaching 2.4 mg/kg.
- 69% of Brazilians did not know that cação is shark.
- Since 2015, state and city administrations have made 52 public purchases totaling over 211 metric tons of peixe-anjo (angelshark), an endangered species.
- 83% of shark species sold in Brazil are at risk of extinction (IUCN list).
- The blue shark (Prionace glauca), Brazil’s most consumed shark, is extremely vulnerable due to uncontrolled fishing.
Learn more about Brazil’s Shark Laws
- Major Threats to Sharks in Brazilian Waters
- Overfishing and the Shark Meat Trade
- Bycatch and Illegal landing practices
- Frequently Asked Questions About Sharks in Brazil