Shark finning, the practice of removing fins and discarding the body at sea, causes immense suffering to millions of sharks annually and drives population collapses that destabilise ocean ecosystems.
Shark finning represents one of the most brutal practices in commercial fishing. Sharks, which are known to have basic pain processing capacities, are hauled aboard vessels, have their fins removed with knives, and are returned to the water alive and unable to swim effectively. They drown slowly, are consumed by other predators, or sink to the seafloor. The welfare suffering of each individual shark is severe and prolonged. Multiplied across 73 million animals per year, the total suffering is immense. The practice is driven by demand for shark fin soup in luxury dining markets, primarily in China and the Chinese diaspora, making demand reduction a key welfare strategy alongside supply-side regulation.