Sharks and rays are among the most threatened marine vertebrates, facing welfare harm from finning, bycatch, and deliberate culling — while growing evidence suggests they may experience pain.
Shark welfare has received minimal attention compared to more charismatic species, yet the scale of suffering is enormous. Finning causes prolonged death by drowning — a process taking hours. Drumline culling programs kill large numbers of non-target species including turtles, rays, and dolphins. Bycatch sharks are often discarded dead or dying. The welfare case for ending finning and reducing shark bycatch is supported by both sentience evidence and conservation urgency.