Government cracks down on shark fin trade
Shark finning has been illegal in the UK since 2003.
The Shark Fins Act passed into UK law on Thursday, 29 June, banning the import and export of detached shark fins.
All products containing shark fins, including items such as tinned shark fin soup, are covered by the new ban.
Shark finning, the practice of removing a shark’s fins at sea and dumping the body back into the water, has been illegal in the UK since 2003, after it was banned in the European Union. This ban has been strengthened by a ‘Fins Naturally Attached’ policy since 2009 to tackle shark finning in UK waters and by UK vessels.
The new act builds on these protections to further promote shark conservation by ending the trade in shark fins. In 2020, the UK exported around 5 tonnes of shark fins.
Out of more than 500 shark species, 143 are listed as ‘Under Threat’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Around 100 million sharks are estimated to be killed each year globally.
Animal welfare minister Lord Benyon said: “Shark finning is an inexcusably cruel practice that has led to the suffering and death of countless sharks. The practice is rightly banned in UK waters, but trade has continued, with serious implications for the future of these magnificent creatures.
“That is why it is so important we ban the import and export of detached shark fins and I welcome the Shark Fins Act as an important step in our commitment to champion the conservation and sustainable management of sharks wherever they are fished.”
Ali Hood, director of conservation at the Shark Trust, said: “It's fantastic news! The UK has long taken a stand against shark finning. Seeing fins naturally attached enshrined into UK law reinforces this stance. And the addition of a ban on the import and export of detached shark fins eases customs checks and enables the UK to hold other countries to the same standard to which we hold ourselves.”
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