Wild Animals

Wild Shark Finning Welfare Crisis

Shark finning removes fins from live sharks and discards the body, causing prolonged drowning deaths for millions of sharks annually.

Key Facts

An estimated 73-100 million sharks are killed for fins annually
Many sharks are finned alive and thrown back into the ocean unable to swim
Shark fin soup demand primarily drives the trade despite declining popularity
Finning bans have been adopted by many countries but enforcement remains inconsistent

Welfare Considerations

Finning is one of the most inhumane practices in commercial fishing — sharks are mutilated while alive, then drown in slow suffocation. The scale of mortality has reduced shark populations globally by 70%, with cascading effects on ecosystem health that affect the welfare of countless other marine species.

What You Can Do

Never consume shark fin soup or products containing shark fin
Support organizations advocating for strong, enforced finning bans globally
Advocate for shark finning as a criminal offense with meaningful penalties
Choose seafood from fisheries certified to have no shark bycatch