90 percent of large sharks have been wiped out
An estimated 73 million sharks are killed each year. That works out to more than 10,000 sharks per hour. While shark fins for shark fin soup are a major reason, sharks are also killed for their meat, cartilage, and liver oil. In addition, bycatch, where sharks are not the target catch, may account for as much as 50% of the sharks killed annually. It is estimated that 90 percent of large sharks have been wiped out regionally.
Critically Endangered Sharks
A quarter of the world’s sharks and rays are threatened with extinction according to The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, with ray species found to be at a higher risk than sharks. The findings are part of the first ever global analysis of these species carried out by the IUCN Shark Specialist Group (SSG). Of 534 species of sharks identified by the IUCN, 141 of them are considered threatened.
Who’s Involved
The majority of fins imported to Hong Kong come from Indonesia. Spain, India, Mexico, the United States, Argentina, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brazil and Nigeria are the top 10 suppliers, but there are more than 100 countries involved in the shark fin trade.[1] While consumption of shark fin soup has fallen by about 80% in China, there is an alarming rise in consumption in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Macau.[2]
Shark Laws
No international laws or treaties exist to prohibit the sale of shark fins. While many countries have laws prohibiting shark finning, only a few have laws banning the sale, trade and possession of shark fins. These countries include the Bahamas, Egypt, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands.
In the U.S., only 13 states and three territories have laws in place making it unlawful for any person to possess, sell, offer for sale, trade or distribute shark fins within that jurisdiction. This includes: Hawaii, New Jersey, California, Maryland, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, Delaware, New York, Massachusetts, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
[1] Lo, C. (2020, May 17). Hong Kong’s Biggest Shark Fin Seizure Ever Recovers 26 Tonnes. Retrieved February 11, 2021, from https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3083184/biggest-shark-fin-seizure-hong-kong-history-recovers
[2] Hermesauto, “Even as China Says No to Shark Fin Soup, Dish Gaining Popularity Elsewhere in Asia,” The Straits Times (Washington Post, February 15, 2018), https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/even-as-china-says-no-to-shark-fin-soup-dish-gaining-popularity-elsewhere-in-asia.