Shark Welfare in Commercial Fishing

Sharks are caught in enormous numbers as bycatch and target species, experiencing often-prolonged suffering from hooks, nets, and the practice of finning — requiring stronger welfare provisions.

Key Facts

An estimated 100 million sharks are killed annually in commercial fisheries
Finning — removing fins and discarding the living shark at sea — is illegal in many jurisdictions but continues
Sharks caught on longlines may survive for hours before death from exhaustion and injuries
Bycatch of sharks in tuna and other fisheries remains a major conservation and welfare concern
Sharks demonstrate pain responses and show chronic stress indicators in captivity

Welfare Considerations

Shark welfare in commercial fisheries is largely unaddressed. Longline-caught sharks may survive in harness for 24 hours before dying from exhaustion, laceration, and cardiac stress. Finning causes slow death from blood loss and drowning for the remaining animal. Bycatch sharks in net fisheries suffocate or are crushed. The conservation attention sharks receive has not translated into equivalent welfare attention, leaving a significant gap in both policy and public awareness.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified to bycatch standards that include shark interaction monitoring
Support campaigns for complete international shark finning bans with enforcement
Advocate for circle hook requirements on longlines to reduce shark hookup rates
Never purchase shark fin soup or products derived from shark fins
Donate to shark conservation organizations working on both population and welfare concerns