Wildlife

Shark Finning Welfare and Conservation

Shark finning — removing fins and discarding live sharks at sea — causes extreme suffering and has devastated shark populations globally.

Key Facts

An estimated 73 million sharks are killed for their fins annually
Finned sharks die slowly from suffocation, blood loss, or predation after being thrown overboard alive
Shark populations have declined by 71% globally since 1970 due to overfishing and finning
The EU banned finning at sea in 2013 but enforcement remains inconsistent

Welfare Considerations

Finning causes one of the most prolonged and distressing deaths documented in commercial fishing. A de-finned shark returned to the ocean alive cannot swim or breathe effectively and dies slowly over hours. This practice combines maximal welfare harm with ecological devastation. It continues because fins are valuable and sharks are not charismatic enough to attract consistent enforcement attention.

What You Can Do

Never purchase or consume shark fin soup or other shark fin products
Support campaigns for stronger finning ban enforcement globally
Choose seafood products from fisheries with documented shark bycatch reduction practices
Donate to ocean conservation organizations working on shark protection
Advocate for CITES listing upgrades for commercially threatened shark species