Illegal Shark Fin Shipment Seized in Brazil Weighs Over 30 Tons, Companies Slapped with Fine

When Brazilian authorities confiscated almost 30 tons of illegal shark fin cargo, two corporations were penalized.

According to Ibama, Brazil's environmental protection organization, a haul of that scale required the deaths of nearly 11,000 shortfin mako sharks and blue sharks.

The fins were intended to be taken to Asia, where soup made with shark fins is a prized delicacy.

Over 30 Tons of Illegal Shark Fin Shipment

In Brazil, nearly all of the shark fins-30 tons out of the total of 31-were confiscated from a single export business. At the international airport in So Paulo, Ibama seized the final ton.

According to the government, this may have been the greatest weight-wise seizure of shark fins unlawfully harvested anywhere in the globe to date.

In Brazil, shark fishing is prohibited. Ibama said that the businesses were unlawfully pursuing sharks while utilizing licenses to fish for other species. The firms were also charged with killing thousands of seabirds amid their shark fishing operations, according to the agency. The two unidentified businesses were penalized.

Illegal Fishing in Brazil

Ibama issued a warning about the decline in shark populations brought on by illegal fishing. Just three weeks ago, the shortfin mako shark was listed as one of Brazil's species at risk of extinction, BBC News reports.

To mitigate the negative consequences of weaker environmental agencies and supervision powers during the previous government led by Jair Bolsonaro, the administration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has prioritized the preservation of Brazil's wildlife and flora.

The recent operation to collect a significant quantity of shark fins acquires considerable significance as a signal of the revitalization of Ibama's commitment to protecting marine habitats.

Conservation Efforts

Sea Shepherd Brazil, a nonprofit organization devoted to marine conservation, demanded a full ban on the importation and sale of shark meat and fins in reaction to the seizure, highlighting the crucial role such restrictions would play in protecting these species, WIONews reports.

In order to manage communications and transportation for the Sea Shepherd fleet during operations outside of the United States, Sea Shepherd Global was founded in Amsterdam in 2013. Today, the movement comprises autonomous organizations collaborating on direct-action campaigns in over 20 different nations.

To conserve the Mui dolphin, Sea Shepherd Global, according to their website, has implemented import restrictions on fish from New Zealand fisheries. They have also pursued toothfish poachers across three seas and shut down poaching operations in West Africa, among other things.

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Shark Fin Trade

Shark finning has been a contentious topic for many years, and it is now prohibited in many nations. Furthermore, even in areas where it is prohibited, individuals nonetheless trade and sell shark fins, and many establishments continue to offer shark fin soup.

Similar to many other animal rights concerns, it might be difficult to oversee what goes on behind closed doors if one does not know what is actually happening on fishing vessels. However, Animal Save Movement says that it is incredibly cruel, wasteful, and unsustainable to kill sharks for their fins.