Shark meat is becoming increasingly popular in domestic and international markets. However, the relatively low value of chondrichthyan meat products, in comparison to other species such as tuna, encourages a very high rate of discard at sea. Shark meat needs careful and proper handling as a table meat because of the high concentration of urea in the body. To avoid the formation of ammonia, it requires immediate icing or freezing and it also cannot be left too long in the water after the shark's death. Generally, both carcasses and fillets for fresh consumption require washing or soaking in a brine solution.
Connoisseurs consider the shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus as the world's finest quality shark meat and it is used for sashimi in Asia and as a high-value fresh seafood in American and European markets. Other high-value sharks include thresher sharks Alopias spp. and porbeagle shark Lamna nasus, caught in large numbers in directed fisheries and as bycatch in tuna and swordfish fisheries. However, some nations have particular preferences for other species of shark meat, such as smoothhounds Mustelus spp. in Argentina.
Between 1985 and 1994, according to FAO data, the world exports of fresh, chilled and frozen shark meat more than doubled, from 22,203t in 1985 to 47,687t in 1994. The number of exporting nations rose from 18 to 37, and importing countries rose from 12 to 36 in the same period. Supermarkets in Europe, in particular Italy, France, United Kingdom, Denmark and Germany, and in South America (Argentina) and the USA now commonly offer fresh shark steaks and fillets.
Consumer taste has not developed to the extent that shark meat can be readily sold as 'shark meat'; it is more often labelled as 'grayfish', 'rock salmon', 'huss', 'rigg',
'flake', or 'galina del mar' ('chicken of the sea'). Table 2 lists the species most preferred in the meat trade.
Fins
TRAFFIC found documented evidence that shark fin soup has been a popular delicacy among the Chinese for 2,000 years. The fins are essentially tasteless and the processed shark fin needles resemble rice noodles in wet, dried or cooked forms, with flavouring needed to add taste. Shark fins are among the world's most expensive fishery products. The value of the fins varies according to
colour, size, thickness and fin needle content, but nearly all species have commercially valuable fins (Kreuzer and Ahmad 1978, Subasinghe 1992)
Shark fins are processed and marketed in the following forms (Kreuzer and Ahmad 1978, Lai 1983):
• Dried, with the skin intact.
• Semi-prepared, with the skin removed but the fibres intact.
• Fully prepared with individual strands of the cartilaginous platelets showing separately.
• Frozen prepared fins.
• In brine.
Table 1. Commonly fished chondrichthyan species*
Family HEXANCHIDAE SQUALIDAE CENTROPHORIDAE SQUATINIDAE ODONTASPIDAE ALOPIIDAE
CETORHINIDAE LAMNIDAE
SCYLIORHINIDAE TRIAKIDAE
CARCHARHINIDAE
SPHYRNIDAE
RHYNCHOBATIDAE RAJIDAE
CALLORHINCHIDAE
Scientific name Notorynchus cepedianus Squalus acanthias Centrophorus spp.
Squatina spp.
Carcharias taurus Odontaspis ferox Alopias spp.
Alopias pelagicus Alopias vulpinus Cetorhinus maximus Isurus spp.
Isurus oxyrinchus Isurus paucus Lamna nasus Scyliorhinus canicula Galeorhinus galeus Mustelus spp.
Mustelus antarctlcus Mustelus lenticulatus Carcharhinidae spp.
Carcharhinus albimarginatus Carcharhinus brachyurus Carcharhinus brevipinna Carcharhinus falciformis Carcharhinus leucas Carcharhinus limbatus Carcharhinus longimanus Carcharhinus melanopterus Carcharhinus obscurus Carcharhinus plumbeus Carcharhinus sorrah Galeocerdo cuvier Prionace glauca Rhizoprionodon acutus Triaenodon obesus Sphyrna spp.
Sphyrna lewini Sphyrna mokarran Sphyrna zygaena Rhynchobatus djiddensis Raja clavata
Callorhinchus spp.
Common name
Broadnose sevengill shark Piked dogfish
Gulper sharks Angelsharks Sand tiger shark Smalltooth sand tiger Thresher sharks Pelagic thresher Thresher shark Basking shark Mako sharks Shortfin mako Longfin mako Porbeagle shark Smallspotted catshark Tope shark
Smoothhounds Gummy shark Rig
Requiem sharks Silvertip shark Bronze whaler Spinner shark Silky shark Bull shark Blacktip shark Oceanic whitetip shark Blacktip reef shark Dusky shark Sandbar shark Spottail shark Tiger shark Blue shark Milk shark Whitetip reef shark Hammerheads
Scalloped hammerhead Great hammerhead Smooth hammerhead Giant guitarfish Thornback skate Elephantfish
* This list was developed on the basis of TRAFFIC Network research and includes species frequently appearing in available information on worldwide shark fisheries. The list of commonly fished species is intended to guide preliminary efforts to improve species-specific reporting of catches and landings.
Inclusion in this list does not suggest that the species commonly occurs in international trade. Nor does it indicate that the species is vulnerable to, or threatened by, overexploitation. Indeed, many of the species listed here are included as a result of their broad geographic distributions.
Table 2. Preferred species in meat trade*
Family Scientific name HEXANCHIDAE
SQUALIDAE CENTROPHIDAE PRISTIOPHORIDAE SQUATINIDAE OROLECTOBIDAE ALOPIIDAE LAMNIDAE
TRIAKIDAE CARCHARHINIDAE
SPHYRNIDAE PRISTIDAE
RHYNCHOBATIDAE RAJIDAE
Notorynchus cepedianus Squalus acanthias Squalus megalops Centrophorus granulosus Centrophorus squamosus Pristiophorus cirratus Squatina spp.
Orectolobus maculatus Alopias superciliosus Alopias vulpinus Carcharodon carcharias Isurus oxyrinchus Lamna ditropis Lamna nasus Galeorhinus galeus Mustelus lenticulatus Carcharhinus plumbeus Carcharhinus longimanus Carcharhinus melanopterus Galeocerdo cuvier
Prionace glauca Sphyrna zygaena Anoxypristis cuspidata Pristis pectinata
Rhynchobatus djiddensis Raja brachyura
Raja clavata
Common name
Broadnose sevengill shark Piked dogfish
Shortnose spurdog Gulper shark
Leafscale gulper shark Longnose sawshark Angelsharks Spotted wobbegong Bigeye thresher Thresher shark Great white shark Shortfin mako Salmon shark Porbeagle shark Tope shark Rig
Sandbar shark Oceanic whitetip shark Blacktip reef shark Tiger shark Blue shark
Smooth hammerhead Knifetooth sawfish Smalltooth sawfish Giant guitarfish Blonde skate Thornback skate
" Shark species preferred for human consumption vary by country and region according to species availability and customary processing and techniques.
Source: TRAFFIC research
Table 3. Preferred species in fin trade*
Family
GINGLYMOSTOMATIDAE RHINIODONTIDAE ODONTASPIDAE ALOPIIDAE CETORHINIDAE LAMNIDAE
TRIAKIDAE CARCHARHINIDAE
SPHYRNIDAE PRISTIDAE
RHYNCHOBATIDAE
Scientific name Ginglymostoma cirratum Rhincodon typus Odontaspis ferox Alopias vulpinus Cetorhinus maximus Carcharodon carcharias Isurus spp.
Lamna ditropis Lamna nasus Galeorhinus galeus Carcharhinus falciformis Carcharhinus obscurus Carcharhinus plumbeus Carcharhinus tilsoni Galeocerdo cuvier Negaprion brevirostris Prionace glauca Scoliodon laticaudus Sphyrna lewini Pristidae spp.
Rhyncobatus djiddensis
Common name Nurse shark Whale shark
Smalltooth sand tiger Thresher shark Basking shark Great white shark Makos
Salmon shark Porbeagle shark Tope shark Silky shark Dusky shark Sandbar shark
Australian blacktip shark Tiger shark
Lemon shark Blue shark Spadenose shark Scalloped hammerhead Sawfish
Giant guitarfish
* Interviews and field research by TRAFFIC investigators reveal widely different rankings by species, presumably owing, at least in part, to regional differences in species availability. Source: TRAFFIC research
Table 4. Preferred species in shark skin trade Family
HEXANCHIDAE SQUALIDAE CENTROPHORIDAE DALATIIDAE PRISTIOPHORIDAE SQUATINIDAE OROLECTOBIDAE
GINGLYMOSTOMATIDAE CETORHINIDAE
LAMNIDAE
CARCHARHINIDAE
SPHYRNIDAE PRISTIDAE
Scientific name Notorynchus cepedianus Squalus acanthias Centrophorus niaukang Dalatias licha
Pristiophorus nudipinnis Squatina aculeata Squatina oculata
Eucrossorhinus dasypogon Orectolobus maculatus Orectolobus ornatus Ginglymostoma cirratum Nebrius ferrugineus Cetorhinus maximus Carcharodon carcharias Isurus oxyrinchus Lamna nasus Carcharhinus altimus Carcharhinus brevipinna Carcharhinus leucas Carcharhinus limbatus Carcharhinus longimanus Carcharhinus obscurus Carcharhinus plumbeus Carcharhinus signatus Galeocerdo cuvier Negaprion brevirostris Prionace glauca Sphyrna lewini Sphyrna mokarran Pristidae spp.
Common name
Broadnose sevengill shark Piked dogfish
Taiwan gulper shark Kitefin shark Shortnose sawshark Sawback angelshark Smoothback angelshark Tasselled wobbegong Spotted wobbegong Ornate wobbegong Nurse shark Tawny nurse shark Basking shark Great white shark Shortfin mako Porbeagle shark Bignose shark Spinner shark Bull shark Blacktip shark Oceanic whitetip shark Dusky shark
Sandbar shark Night shark Tiger shark Lemon shark Blue shark
Scalloped hammerhead Great hammerhead Sawfish
Source: TRAFFIC research
• As fin nets, in which the cartilaginous fin needles have been boiled, separated and dried and packaged in loose groupings.
• In canned shark fin soup.
Taiwan is considered to be one of the largest producers of shark fins, with annual production of nearly l,000t from
1980 to 1996. Most of it is consumed locally.
According to Hong Kong customs statistics at least 125 countries are involved in the shark fin trade. Hong Kong is the centre of this activity and together with China and Singapore, is the biggest shark fin trader and processor.
From 1980 to 1995 Hong Kong recorded imports of shark fins from 125 countries and re-export to 75 countries.
During this time the most important suppliers appeared to be China, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, USA and the United Arab Emirates. According to Hong Kong customs data the reported imports of shark fins rose from 2.7 million kg in 1980 to 6.1 million kg in 1995. However, these figures and those in other regions appear to be misleading as they imply that shark harvesting has increased at a proportionate rate.
From TRAFFIC Network findings, it seems that much of the increase appears to be the result of double or triple counting of fins. For example, fins imported by Hong Kong from the USA are exported to China for processing, reimported to Hong Kong and then exported back to USA, so are counted twice as imports and probably twice as exports. Multiple counting also occurs in trade statistics for China, Singapore and regional trade centres such as the USA and Yemen.
Asia has long been the consumption centre for shark fins and this prominence will continue with the opening of China as a potentially unlimited market for shark fins since the mid-1980s, which in turn has contributed to a significant increase in world shark fin consumption. Retail prices generally range from US$40 to US$564 per kg, and a bowl of shark fin soup can cost up to US$90 in a Hong Kong restaurant (Table 3).