Sharks are among the most persecuted marine animals, facing finning, targeted fishing, and bycatch mortality that kills an estimated 100 million sharks annually. Their welfare - and their role as keystone predators - deserves greater protection.
Shark finning is one of the most egregiously cruel practices in commercial fishing. Live sharks are hauled onto boats, have their fins cut off with knives, and are then returned to the sea alive but unable to swim. Without the ability to swim, sharks - which must keep moving to breathe - slowly suffocate or are eaten by other predators. The process takes hours. Bycatch mortality from longline and trawl fishing adds to the toll - sharks caught unintentionally may struggle on lines for extended periods before retrieval. At the ecological level, the loss of shark populations cascades through marine food webs, ultimately affecting the welfare of many other species. The combination of individual suffering at scale and ecosystem consequence makes shark welfare a critical priority.