Sharks are caught in their millions annually as target catch and bycatch. The welfare of individual sharks during capture, handling and killing has received far less attention than their conservation status, despite being equally urgent.
Shark welfare is almost entirely absent from fisheries policy conversations that focus on population sustainability and conservation status. Yet individual sharks caught as bycatch experience real and significant suffering — sometimes for many hours — before dying. A welfare lens on shark fisheries produces different policy recommendations than a conservation lens alone: not just reduced catch, but faster killing methods, mandatory at-sea release protocols and gear modifications that reduce suffering during bycatch events. Shark finning bans are a welfare advance, but only eliminate the most egregious practice — broader welfare improvements require engagement with the full bycatch and handling picture.