Fisheries Research Articles

Consumption of shark products: The interface of sustainability, trade (mis)labelling, human health and human rights

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-6-2023

Journal Title

Fish and Fisheries

ISSN

Print: 1467-2960 Electronic: 1467-2979

Keywords

Conservation, Consumer choice, Elasmobranch, Pollution, Sustainable seafood

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Data Science | Marine Biology | Natural Resource Economics | Natural Resources and Conservation | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Operations and Supply Chain Management | Population Biology | Survival Analysis | Sustainability

Abstract

Sharks and rays evolved 450 million years ago, during the Late Ordovician Period. However, during the modern Anthropocene, shark populations have declined at considerable rates, and recent global assessments indicate about one in three species is threatened with extinction. A notable reason for this elevated extinction risk is overfishing linked to increased demand for shark fins and other products. Here, we review multiple dimensions of consuming shark products, ranging from stock sustainability, product (mis)labelling and trade, the human health implications of consuming shark products, and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and slavery and labour abuses in the fishing industry. We conclude that traceability and increased transparency in seafood supply chains is essential to overcome obstacles to consumption of sustainable, ethical and healthy shark products. We also provide a decision tree outlining steps in consumer choice that would foster such consumption. Our aim is to provide a holistic view on issues concerning the consumption of shark products that will help policymakers, the public, management and law enforcement agencies to advocate for ecologically- and ethically sustainable consumption of shark products and thereby empower the general public to make informed decisions on which shark products they consume.

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12768