Sharks are among the most misunderstood and threatened marine animals — their welfare deserves serious consideration.
Shark welfare is dramatically underrepresented in animal welfare discussions despite the scale of shark mortality. Finning — removing shark fins while discarding the living animal — causes prolonged suffering as the living fish sinks to the seafloor, unable to swim. Bycatch in longlines and trawls kills millions of sharks annually. Evidence for shark sentience — pain responses, learned avoidance, and behavioral flexibility — is growing. Protecting sharks benefits not only individual animal welfare but the marine ecosystems that billions of animals depend on.