Sharks are caught in enormous numbers as bycatch in tuna, billfish, and other pelagic fisheries — causing welfare harm and contributing to the collapse of many shark populations.
Shark bycatch causes welfare harm to individual animals through exhaustion, injury, and often death by drowning or physical trauma during hauling. Sharks on longlines may remain hooked and stressed for many hours before the line is retrieved. The cumulative scale — tens of millions of sharks annually — represents an enormous welfare problem that receives little regulatory attention because sharks lack the charisma that drives conservation concern for mammals and birds. Consumer choice of certified lower-bycatch seafood and advocacy for gear modifications that reduce shark bycatch are the most impactful available interventions.