Wildlife

Welfare of Sharks in Fin Trade

Shark finning removes fins from living sharks which are then discarded at sea to die slowly, causing extreme suffering and threatening shark population viability.

Key Facts

Up to 100 million sharks are killed annually for the fin trade
Finned sharks are returned to the sea alive and drown slowly over hours
Shark fins are used primarily for shark fin soup, a luxury dish in some Asian cultures
Over 70 countries have banned shark finning in their waters
Sharks are apex predators essential to ocean ecosystem health

Welfare Considerations

Shark finning inflicts one of the most prolonged and extreme welfare harms in industrial fishing. Sharks returned to the water after finning drown slowly over many hours. The practice is inhumane by any welfare standard and threatens critically important predator populations.

What You Can Do

Never order or purchase shark fin soup or products
Support legislation banning shark fin sale and import in your country
Donate to organizations campaigning against the shark fin trade
Choose restaurants that have committed to removing shark fin from their menus