Shark Fin Trade Reform and Welfare

The shark fin trade drives the finning of tens of millions of sharks annually, with fins removed and sharks discarded alive to drown, causing extreme welfare suffering while contributing to the collapse of shark populations globally.

Key Facts

An estimated 73-100 million sharks are killed annually primarily for their fins for shark fin soup
Shark finning involves cutting fins from live sharks and discarding the body at sea to die slowly
The fin trade is concentrated in Asia but involves global supply chains including Western fishing fleets
Numerous countries have banned shark finning within their waters but enforcement is challenging
Shark fin soup is a traditional delicacy in Chinese culture with declining consumption among younger generations

Welfare Considerations

Shark finning causes extreme acute suffering. Sharks whose fins have been removed are thrown back into the ocean alive but unable to swim, where they sink to the bottom and die slowly from suffocation as they can no longer pump water over their gills, or from predation. This represents one of the most prolonged and severe forms of animal suffering inflicted for a luxury food product. The scale - potentially millions of sharks finned annually - makes this one of the highest welfare-impact practices in global fisheries.

What You Can Do

Never consume shark fin soup or other shark fin products
Support campaigns for complete bans on shark fin trade including export and import
Advocate for attachment-required fins regulations that require fins to be landed still attached to the body
Support organizations like Shark Stewards and WildAid working on shark fin trade reduction
Engage with cultural conversations about shark fin soup reduction in a respectful, evidence-based way