Tamil Nadu Tops Illegal Trade in Shark Body Parts

Tamil Nadu dominates the illegal trade in shark body parts, comprising nearly 65% of seizures between January 2010 and December 2022, as per a recent analysis by TRAFFIC and WWF-India. This alarming trend poses a significant threat to marine biodiversity, with Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, and Maharashtra also contributing to this illicit trade.

Key Findings

TRAFFIC and WWF-India conducted a comprehensive study titled ‘Netted in illegal wildlife trade: Sharks of India’.
The confiscated shark products were intended for destinations such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, and mainland China.
The global demand for shark fins, primarily for shark-fin soup, remains a major driver of illegal shark fisheries.

Concerns of Overfishing

Sharks play a crucial role in marine ecosystems as apex predators, regulating various marine species’ populations.
Overfishing, combined with sharks’ low biological productivity, elevates their risk of extinction.
Despite 160 reported shark species in India, only 26 are granted the highest protection status under wildlife protection laws.

Challenges and Threats

The illegal shark trade poses a grave conservation threat, exacerbated by misdeclaration of species on permits.
Inadequate monitoring mechanisms hinder the differentiation between legal and illegal shark trade.
Identifying shark fins accurately remains a challenge due to the multitude of potential shark species in trade.

Countermeasures

TRAFFIC has developed 3D-printed replica fins to aid law enforcement agencies in identifying dried and unprocessed fins.
A new 3D Shark Fin Identification Guidebook has been published, focusing on 11 commercially traded shark and ray species.
WWF-India and TRAFFIC collaborate closely to distribute resources and knowledge to enforcement agencies across India’s coastal regions, airports, and seaports.

WWF India’s Role

Established in 1969, WWF India aims to mitigate environmental degradation and foster harmony between humans and nature.
Through science-based approaches, WWF India addresses various conservation issues, including species and habitat preservation, climate change, and environmental education.