Indo‐Pacific origins of silky shark fins in major shark fin markets highlights supply chains and management bodies key for conservation

Cardeñosa, Diego; Fields, Andrew T.; Babcock, Elizabeth A.; Shea, Stanley K. H.; Feldheim, Kevin A.; Kraft, Derek W.; Hutchinson, Melanie; Herrera, Maria A.; Caballero, Susana; Chapman, Demian D.

doi:10.1111/conl.12780

Cited by 16 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Shark fin soup is considered a delicacy served in many Asian communities throughout the world [ 1 , 2 ]; it is also highly prized in traditional Chinese Medicine [ 3 , 4 , 5 ] where it is thought to help to alleviate a host of ailments and have beneficial properties throughout the body. The fishing industry that supplies the fins for this dish is arguably one of the principle drivers of shark overexploitation [ 6 , 7 ], with declines of 71% reported for oceanic sharks since the 1970s [ 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Is in Your Shark Fin Soup? Probably an Endangered Shark Species and a Bit of Mercury

Choy¹,

Wainwright

2022

Animals

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Shark fin soup, consumed by Asian communities throughout the world, is one of the principal drivers of the demand of shark fins. This near USD 1 billion global industry has contributed to a shark population declines of up to 70%. In an effort to arrest these declines, the trade in several species of sharks is regulated under the auspices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Despite this legal framework, the dried fins of trade-regulated sharks are frequently sold in markets and consumed in shark fin soup. Shark fins found in soups break down into a fibrous mass of ceratotrichia, meaning that identifying the species of sharks in the soup becomes impossible by visual methods. In this paper, we use DNA barcoding to identify the species of sharks found in bowls of shark fin soup collected in Singapore. The most common species identified in our samples was the blue shark (Prionace glauca), a species listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List with a decreasing population, on which scientific data suggests catch limits should be imposed. We identified four other shark species that are listed on CITES Appendix II, and in total ten species that are assessed as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Globally, the blue shark has been shown to contain levels of mercury that frequently exceed safe dose limits. Given the prevalence of this species in the examined soups and the global nature of the fin trade, it is extremely likely that consumers of shark fin soup will be exposed to unsafe levels of this neurotoxin.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Is in Your Shark Fin Soup? Probably an Endangered Shark Species and a Bit of Mercury

Choy¹,

Wainwright

2022

Animals

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“…The second most encountered shark in our pet food was the silky shark (C. falciformis). This species is recognized as the second most commonly encountered species in the Hong Kong shark fin trade, one of the world's largest fin trading hubs (Cardeñosa et al, 2021). The frequent occurrence of silky sharks has been attributed to this species' high bycatch rate where it is the most commonly encountered bycatch species in pelagic tuna fisheries (Hutchinson et al, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

DNA Barcoding Identifies Endangered Sharks in Pet Food Sold in Singapore

French

Wainwright

2022

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Shark populations have declined by more than 70% over the past 50 years. These declines have largely been attributed to increases in fishing efforts. Despite increased public awareness surrounding the conservation of sharks, three-quarters of all oceanic shark species are currently considered at risk of extinction. Here, we use DNA barcoding to identify shark DNA found in pet food purchased within Singapore. We identified a number of sharks that have some degree of control over their trade exerted under the auspices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), or through their classification as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The most commonly identified shark was the blue shark, Prionace glauca, a species that is not listed in CITES or classified as threatened by the IUCN, but one which scientific evidence suggests is overexploited and should have its catch regulated. The second most commonly encountered species was the CITES Appendix II listed silky shark, Carcharhinus falciformis. None of the products specifically listed shark as an ingredient, listing only generic terms, such as “ocean fish,” “white fish,” and “white bait.” The vague terminology used to describe pet food ingredients, and in some cases, the mislabeling of contents, prevents consumers – in this case, pet owners – from making informed and environmentally conscious decisions; consequently, pet owners and animal lovers may unwittingly be contributing to the overfishing of endangered sharks.

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“…By the mid-2010s, the contribution of Scalloped Hammerhead fins from the Southwest Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Northwestern Atlantic randomly sampled in Hong Kong markets was roughly 8.5% (Fields et al, 2020). Silky Shark ( Carcharhinus falciformis , Carcharhinidae) fin trimmings similarly sampled in markets in Hong Kong and mainland China suggested almost no contribution from Atlantic populations (Cardeñosa et al, 2020) despite the Silky Shark being the second most common species in the fin trade at that time (Cardeñosa et al, 2018). These limited insights and a lack of evidence in the literature suggest little contemporary large-scale shark finning (the removal of fins and discarding of its carcass at sea) in the WCA (Kyne et al, 2012), although finning does occur illegally (e.g., finless carcasses are frequently landed at northern Brazilian ports notwithstanding national law; Feitosa et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Kong and mainland China suggested almost no contribution from Atlantic populations (Cardeñosa et al, 2020) despite the Silky Shark being the second most common species in the fin trade at that time (Cardeñosa et al, 2018). These limited insights and a lack of evidence in the literature suggest little contemporary large-scale shark finning (the removal of fins and discarding of its carcass at sea) in the WCA (Kyne et al, 2012), although finning does occur illegally (e.g., finless carcasses are frequently landed at northern Brazilian ports notwithstanding national law; Feitosa et al, 2018).…”

Section: Finningmentioning

confidence: 97%

Extinction risk, reconstructed catches, and management of chondrichthyan fishes in the Western Central Atlantic Ocean

Talwar

Anderson

Avalos-Castillo

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Chondrichthyan fishes are among the most threatened vertebrates on the planet because many species have slow life histories that are outpaced by intense fishing. The Western Central Atlantic Ocean, which includes the greater Caribbean, is a hotspot of chondrichthyan biodiversity and abundance, but is historically characterized by extensive shark and ray fisheries and a lack of sufficient data for effective management and conservation. To inform future research and management decisions, we analyzed patterns in chondrichthyan extinction risk, reconstructed catches, and regulations in this region. We summarized the extinction risk of 180 sharks, rays, and chimaeras using contemporary IUCN Red List assessments and found that over one-third (35.6%) were assessed as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered largely due to fishing. Reconstructed catches from 1950 to 2016 reached their peak in 1992, then declined by 40.2% through the end of the series. The United States, Venezuela, and Mexico were responsible for most catches and hosted large proportions of the regional distributions of threatened species; these countries therefore held the greatest responsibility for chondrichthyan management. The abundance and resolution of fisheries landings data were poor in much of the region, and national-level regulations varied widely across jurisdictions. Deepwater fisheries represent an emerging threat, although many deepwater chondrichthyans currently find refuge beyond the depths of most fisheries. Regional collaboration as well as effective and enforceable management informed by more complete fisheries data, particularly from small-scale fisheries, are required to protect and recover threatened species and ensure sustainable fisheries.

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Indo‐Pacific origins of silky shark fins in major shark fin markets highlights supply chains and management bodies key for conservation

Cited by 16 publications

References 33 publications

What Is in Your Shark Fin Soup? Probably an Endangered Shark Species and a Bit of Mercury

What Is in Your Shark Fin Soup? Probably an Endangered Shark Species and a Bit of Mercury

DNA Barcoding Identifies Endangered Sharks in Pet Food Sold in Singapore

Extinction risk, reconstructed catches, and management of chondrichthyan fishes in the Western Central Atlantic Ocean

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