Shark finning removes fins from living sharks and returns the animal to the ocean to drown, while also devastating populations that are essential for ocean health.
Sharks that are finned and returned to the water are unable to swim and either drown or are eaten alive. The process involves restraint, laceration, and a drawn-out death. Beyond individual suffering, the collapse of shark populations disrupts ocean food webs in ways that negatively impact the welfare of billions of fish and other marine animals.