Genetic Profiling Reveals Illegal International Trade in Fins of the Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias

Mahmood S. Shivji; Demian D. Chapman; Ellen K. Pikitch; Paul W. Raymond

doi:10.1007/s10592-005-9082-9

Genetic Profiling Reveals Illegal International Trade in Fins of the Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias

Mahmood S. Shivji
, Demian D. Chapman
, Ellen K. Pikitch
, Paul W. Raymond

Department of Biological Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Great white sharks are protected by national legislation in several countries, making this species the most widely protected elasmobranch in the world. Although the market demand for shark fins in general has continued to grow, the value and extent of utilization of white shark fins in trade has been controversial. We combine law enforcement with genetic profiling to demonstrate that illegal trade in fins of this species is occurring in the contemporary international market. Furthermore, we document the presence of fins from very young white sharks in the trade, suggesting a multiple-use market (food to trophies) exists for fins of this species. The presence of small fins in the trade contradicts the view that white shark fins have market value only as large display trophies, and not as food. Our findings indicate that effective conservation of protected shark species will require international management regimes that include monitoring of the shark fishery and trade on a species-specific basis. © Springer 2005.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	1035-1039
Number of pages	5
Journal	Conservation Genetics
Volume	6
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-005-9082-9
State	Published - Dec 21 2005

Funding

This research was funded by the Florida Sea Grant Program, the Roe Foundation, the Pew Institute for Ocean Science through the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Hai Stiftung Foundation. DDC is supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. We thank J. Cassin and R. Gamba of the NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement and R. Bonfil of the Wildlife Conservation Society for assistance with sampling; S. Clarke provided helpful background information on the fin trade.

Funders
Florida Sea Grant Program
Hai Stiftung Foundation
Pew Institute for Ocean Science
Roe Foundation
National Science Foundation
Pew Charitable Trusts

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Genetics
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Keywords

Conservation
Fin trade
Great white sharks
Shark DNA forensics

Disciplines

Biology
Genetics and Genomics
Life Sciences
Marine Biology

Access to Document

10.1007/s10592-005-9082-9

Cite this

@article{d5791817c7ac4f62992237392ea52a4f,

title = "Genetic Profiling Reveals Illegal International Trade in Fins of the Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias",

abstract = "Great white sharks are protected by national legislation in several countries, making this species the most widely protected elasmobranch in the world. Although the market demand for shark fins in general has continued to grow, the value and extent of utilization of white shark fins in trade has been controversial. We combine law enforcement with genetic profiling to demonstrate that illegal trade in fins of this species is occurring in the contemporary international market. Furthermore, we document the presence of fins from very young white sharks in the trade, suggesting a multiple-use market (food to trophies) exists for fins of this species. The presence of small fins in the trade contradicts the view that white shark fins have market value only as large display trophies, and not as food. Our findings indicate that effective conservation of protected shark species will require international management regimes that include monitoring of the shark fishery and trade on a species-specific basis. {\textcopyright} Springer 2005.",

keywords = "Conservation, Fin trade, Great white sharks, Shark DNA forensics",

author = "Shivji, \{Mahmood S.\} and Chapman, \{Demian D.\} and Pikitch, \{Ellen K.\} and Raymond, \{Paul W.\}",

year = "2005",

month = dec,

day = "21",

doi = "10.1007/s10592-005-9082-9",

language = "American English",

volume = "6",

pages = "1035--1039",

journal = "Conservation Genetics",

issn = "1566-0621",

number = "6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Genetic Profiling Reveals Illegal International Trade in Fins of the Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias

AU - Shivji, Mahmood S.

AU - Chapman, Demian D.

AU - Pikitch, Ellen K.

AU - Raymond, Paul W.

PY - 2005/12/21

Y1 - 2005/12/21

N2 - Great white sharks are protected by national legislation in several countries, making this species the most widely protected elasmobranch in the world. Although the market demand for shark fins in general has continued to grow, the value and extent of utilization of white shark fins in trade has been controversial. We combine law enforcement with genetic profiling to demonstrate that illegal trade in fins of this species is occurring in the contemporary international market. Furthermore, we document the presence of fins from very young white sharks in the trade, suggesting a multiple-use market (food to trophies) exists for fins of this species. The presence of small fins in the trade contradicts the view that white shark fins have market value only as large display trophies, and not as food. Our findings indicate that effective conservation of protected shark species will require international management regimes that include monitoring of the shark fishery and trade on a species-specific basis. © Springer 2005.

AB - Great white sharks are protected by national legislation in several countries, making this species the most widely protected elasmobranch in the world. Although the market demand for shark fins in general has continued to grow, the value and extent of utilization of white shark fins in trade has been controversial. We combine law enforcement with genetic profiling to demonstrate that illegal trade in fins of this species is occurring in the contemporary international market. Furthermore, we document the presence of fins from very young white sharks in the trade, suggesting a multiple-use market (food to trophies) exists for fins of this species. The presence of small fins in the trade contradicts the view that white shark fins have market value only as large display trophies, and not as food. Our findings indicate that effective conservation of protected shark species will require international management regimes that include monitoring of the shark fishery and trade on a species-specific basis. © Springer 2005.

KW - Conservation

KW - Fin trade

KW - Great white sharks

KW - Shark DNA forensics

UR - https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cnso_bio_facarticles/857

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/33344465722

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/33344465722#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1007/s10592-005-9082-9

DO - 10.1007/s10592-005-9082-9

M3 - Article

SN - 1566-0621

VL - 6

SP - 1035

EP - 1039

JO - Conservation Genetics

JF - Conservation Genetics

IS - 6

ER -

Genetic Profiling Reveals Illegal International Trade in Fins of the Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias

Abstract

Funding

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Keywords

Disciplines

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this