Hammerhead Shark Welfare and Shark Finning

Hammerhead sharks are among the most threatened shark species globally, primarily from shark finning operations that remove fins and return the living animal to sea to drown.

Key Facts

All three great hammerhead species are Critically Endangered or Endangered on the IUCN Red List
Shark finning involves removing fins and discarding the living animal at sea
Finned sharks cannot swim and die from asphyxiation or predation
Hammerhead fins are particularly valuable in the shark fin soup trade
Many countries have banned finning but enforcement on the high seas is difficult

Welfare Considerations

Hammerhead sharks thrown overboard after finning drown slowly from asphyxiation as they sink unable to maintain ram ventilation without fins, or are consumed alive by other predators. The process of finning itself causes acute pain from multiple amputations. Sharks captured on longlines experience sustained stress during often-extended survival on hooks. The practice of finning causes extreme suffering to millions of individual sharks annually across global fisheries. Despite widespread bans, enforcement gaps mean this continues as a significant welfare problem.

What You Can Do

Avoid restaurants serving shark fin soup
Support shark fin trade ban campaigns in your country
Donate to Shark Conservation Fund or similar organisations
Advocate for strong at-sea enforcement of shark finning bans
Choose seafood from fisheries certified as shark bycatch-friendly