World
Brazil confiscates shark fins destined for Asia in world’s largest seizure
Brazilian authorities said on Monday they had seized 28.7 metric tons (63.3 pounds) of illegally obtained shark fins that would be exported to Asia, in what they called the world’s largest confiscation of its kind at the origin.
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Environment protection agency Ibama estimated the consignment represented the death of some 10,000 sharks of two different species, the blue shark and the shortfin mako shark, which entered Brazil’s national list of endangered species last month.
“These apprehensions on an integrated basis represent the largest recorded in the world, especially considering it is a seizure at the source where the sharks are caught,” Ibama said in a statement.
According to a 2022 news article in the journal of Unesp, the Sao Paulo State University, curbing illegal fishing is one way to protect sharks from extinction. But with more than 8,000 kilometers (4,970 miles) of coastline and weak environmental enforcement, oversight is practically non-existent in Brazil, the journal’s article argued.
A single exporting company in the southern state of Santa Catarina was responsible for 27.6 metric tons of fins, while the remainder was seized at Sao Paulo International Airport, Ibama said, without naming the firms or persons involved.
Ibama did not answer questions regarding other details of the seizure, the identities of the owners of the merchandise and how it would crack down on predatory fishing going forward.
Sea Shepherd Brazil, a non-profit marine conservation organization, called on the Brazilian government to ban the shark fin trade and shark meat imports into Brazil, saying this would be vital to protect the species.
Shark fishing is illegal in Brazil but Ibama said the boats were using permits to catch other fish species.
It added they caused the death of thousands of seabirds as they fished for sharks, including some belonging to endangered species.
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