Shark finning — removing the fins while alive and discarding the body — causes prolonged suffering and contributes to dramatic shark population declines. The UK has implemented some of the world's strongest anti-finning rules.
Shark finning causes extreme and prolonged suffering — finned sharks cannot swim, respire or regulate buoyancy and die slowly over hours. Beyond the individual welfare crisis, the removal of apex predators from marine ecosystems causes cascading trophic collapse. The UK's fins-attached policy is best-practice regulation. Advocating for equivalent standards in major importing and trading nations is the most effective welfare advocacy target.