Ban Shark Finning and end the exploitation of sharks

What is Shark Finning?

Shark finning refers to the removal and retention of shark fins and the discard at sea of the carcass. The shark is most often still alive when it is tossed back into the water. Unable to swim, the shark slowly sinks toward the bottom where it is eaten alive by other fish.

Shark finning takes place at sea so the fishers have only the fins to transport. Shark meat is considered low value and therefore not worth the cost of transporting the bulky shark bodies to market.

Any shark is taken-regardless of age, size, or species.

Longlines, used in shark finning operations, are the most significant cause of losses in shark populations worldwide.

Shark finning is widespread, and largely unmanaged and unmonitored.
Shark finning has increased over the past decade due to the increasing demand for shark fins (for shark fin soup and traditional cures), improved fishing technology, and improved market economics.

Shark specialists estimate that 100 million sharks are killed for their fins, annually.
One pound of dried shark fin can retail for $300 or more. It's a multi-billion dollar industry.

Why ban shark finning?

Finning is responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of sharks every year.
The removal of the ocean’s top predators may have serious, widespread effects for marine ecosystems and potentially threaten yields of other commercially important species.

Finning is hugely wasteful – throwing away 95% of a valuable protein source should not be an option in a world where fish stocks are declining and millions of people face chronic hunger.

Finning prevents species-specific catch data from being collected. Without such information, sustainable management of shark fisheries is not possible.