Shark fin soup is well-known. When we hear that 100 million sharks are killed every year by the fishing industry, some people may assume it’s because of shark fin soup. But these assumptions are just not true. Only focusing on shark fin soup crowds out other reasons sharks are in trouble, including a huge global market for shark products like meat and oil.
And there are other reasons we need to stop talking about shark fin soup. Blaming one dish lets everyone else off the hook, while unnecessarily targeting certain countries or groups of people as the main consumers. So it’s time for all of us to find out a bit more about the real reason sharks are being killed.

The overfishing of sharks is driven by international trade that goes way beyond their fins. In recent years the shark meat trade has rapidly expanded and shark products such as cartilage and oil all contribute to a market worth almost $ 1 billion per year. All the major fishing countries use destructive fishing practices that result in the killing of up to 100 million sharks every year and are in large part responsible for the 70% decline in shark populations globally over the past 50 years. Whether it’s the use of Fish Aggregating Devices together with huge purse seine nets by France and Spain in tuna fisheries, or illegal driftnet use by Iran and Sri Lanka, or longlines by South Korea, Japan, China or Spain (again!), or fishing for sport off the coast of the US, or even regular old trawling by practically every country with a coastline – shark fishing takes place everywhere. It’s just that most of it never hits the headlines.

When it comes to solving the problem of overfishing sharks, every country has got a role to play. From implementing strict limits to how many can be caught, to agreeing a target of at least 30% ocean protection by 2030. We must create a network of ocean sanctuaries across the world that would act as nurseries and feeding grounds for sharks and other wildlife, helping them recover from years of abuse. Even countries without a coastline can help: implementing strict rules around importing shark products like shark oil (which can be found in plenty of cosmetics), or fish-based fertiliser (which often includes shark in the ingredients). No single country, nor cuisine can be blamed for the staggering number of sharks being killed every single year – but every country can step up to solve this problem.

Sharks are a critical part of the ocean ecosystem, vital for ocean health and vital for the health of us and our blue planet. We all have a part to play in protecting them. Here at Greenpeace, that means we can no longer just campaign to Protect the Oceans and take action at sea to confront industrial fishing fleets. But we must also do more to raise awareness of the global trade in shark meat, oil and other products.
Wenjing Pan is oceans project manager at Greenpeace East Asia. Will McCallum is head of oceans at Greenpeace UK.
Discussion
why would you turn sharks fins into fin soup that is so stupid and why they did nothing to us they just thought we where a killer wale or something that eats sharks
Hi I think sharks are awesome
So sad,I was just watching a show on drugs entering and leaving other countries, well they just showed thousands of shark fins leaving by ships to go to other countries so sad that either way something or someone is killed for someone else’s profit…🙏
sharks r awsome
I need to see evidence to support the estimated guess of 100 million sharks are killed yearly. Just because scientist and well known groups say this does not prove anything. Where can I find the facts. Evidence. Truth. If 100 million sharks are killed yearly by overfishing, evil humans hunting down poor sweet sharks or finning, whatever, I want to find the facts that support this 100 million estimate claim. I have searched and searched but the sites like yours stating this are not showing us whose your source. I truly want ti know if this is true. Looking forward to your reply directing me to evidence
The source is literally in the article….
S T O P K I L L I N G S H A RK S & O T H E R S E A L I F E P LE A S E !!!!!!!!!
There’s zero evidence claiming 100 million sharks estimated killed yearly by humans. Just because GreenPeace and some scientists claim this doesn’t make it true. Not all scientist agree with this number. I would like for green peace and others making this accusation to provide their source directing us towards evidence. Actual evidence. I I believe sharks are killed yearly due to accidents caused by fishermen and the cruel savagery by finning sharks. Those finning sharks aren’t most countries. You can blame countries like Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan province for finning. All I want is the proof that approximately 100 million sharks are killed yearly. If you live in reality you should know that a large amount of human beings are out hunting down sharks. The majority of human beings do not hurt sharks or want to hurt sharks. It’s so sad to me when I read human beings writings expressing more empathy towards sharks than humans. Animal rights groups and activists deceive the public by watering down the most important facts about sharks. They have the public believing they shouldn’t worry while in the ocean because sharks are docile creatures that don’t like to eat people and it’s rare to be attacked. It seems these groups want to protect sharks, not humans. Although it is true sharks are not out to taste human blood and it is rare to be attacked by a shark, we cannot brush off average of 4-8 people killed yearly by sharks. The main sharks people should be cautious of are the bull shark, great white and tiger shark. Those are the 3 sharks that do consume humans. I basically spend my spring and summer swimming in the Gulf of Mexico Florida panhandle in the clear shallow water. I love it! I also love sharks. But I do know that bull sharks often swim in the same shallow gulf waters I swim and although it’s very rare of bull shark eating me I am aware that there’s a chance a bull shark will attack me. I think we should protect and love our own kind and make sure we make others aware to be cautious. We can love sharks and humans at the same time. If only liberal groups and activists would be truthful always whether it’s good or bad news. They also need to provide sources that proves they are telling truth
we need sharks, if they die then other things die too. And then oceans will disapear and so will we. And please stop throwing away palstic
i love sharks save the sharks
Sharks are really important to me. I am an 11 year old and I care about our oceans. If sharks didn't exist, we would be scared of everyday things. Sharks are just as afraid of us as we are afraid of them. Please save the sharks! #teamseas, #savetheocean, #savethesharks!!!!!!
we need to preact shark becouse sharks are 100 millon sharks were killed per hour sharks are apart of the oceshen sharks just eat fish if you are in a wet suit on top of a bodybord you look like a seal so its kinda the people folt that they look like a snack
Why do people kill sharks just pls save them. What will we do without them dead stop trying to kill the WORLD for your AMUSMENT PARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People save the sharks
Hey, can you please stop killing sharks.. or else I will do something I don't want to with you:)))
don"t let sharks die
STOP KILLING SHARKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this makes me sad
Stoppppp killing sharks what happens when there all gone what do we do then
I think that we should stop polluting the ocean and the world .In my opingnion i think that shark fin soup should be banned.Now think of a shark as a person ,wold you realy kill a person for its teeth,its oils, and its meat. I think that we should use better nets for fishing.
I don't want to lose sharks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes you probably don't, Because if it wern't for sharks there would be millions of fish and we might not be able to swim in the ocean. So #save the sharks!!!!!!!!!!
THE MARCH THAT THEY DO NOT CALL is the march to ban, once and for all, the EXPORT of shark fins that is legally executed from Costa Rica. International trade that, in addition to threatening the survival of the emblematic hammerhead shark, also affects the other 80 species of sharks, rays and manta rays that live in Costa Rican seas. Without this prohibition, which those who claim to be protectors of the marine environment and of sharks in particular do not want to talk about, the task of protecting two or three species through well-funded campaigns does not make practical sense. If we say NO TO THE EXPORT OF FINS, we will be fulfilling our task of environmental conservation! FREDDY PACHECO LEÓN).
LA MARCHA QUE NO CONVOCAN es la marcha para que se prohíba, de una vez por todas, la EXPORTACIÓN de aletas de tiburón que legalmente se ejecuta desde Costa Rica. Comercio internacional que además de amenazar la sobrevivencia del emblemático tiburón martillo, también afecta a las otras 80 especies de tiburones, rayas y mantarrayas que viven en mares costarricenses. Sin esa prohibición, de la cual no quieren ni hablar los que se dicen protectores del ambiente marino y de los tiburones en particular, no tiene sentido práctico la tarea de proteger dos o tres especies mediante bien financiadas campañas. ¡Si decimos NO A LA EXPORTACIÓN DE ALETAS, sí estaremos cumpliendo nuestra tarea de conservación ambiental!. FREDDY PACHECO LEÓN).
Omgg why why why
i do not want sharks to dissappear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
💯 Million Dead Sharks (Please stop Killing world for your entertainment )