U.S. Consumers Don’t Know They’re Eating Endangered Sharks

Fishing has caused significant declines in global shark populations. One-third of the world’s shark species are now threatened with extinction. Historically, shark finning has been their main threat, but a global market for shark meat has also been steadily growing since the early 2000s.

Shark fins are commonly consumed in Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam, while shark meat is popular in South America and Europe, particularly Italy, Brazil, Uruguay, and Spain. Although products made from non-threatened shark species are often sold legally in these regions, their labeling is usually unclear. This leaves many consumers unaware that they’re eating shark or endangered shark species. For example, one study found that 77.5% of Peruvians who consumed shark meat didn’t realize that it was shark. The lack of clarity undermines shark conservation and makes studying the health effects of shark meat consumption more difficult.

This study investigated the identity of shark meat sold in the United States. Using DNA testing, the researchers aimed to determine which species shark meat products actually came from, and whether the species were of conservation concern.

From September 2021 to September 2022, the team collected 30 shark products from various sources such as seafood markets, grocery stores, Asian markets, and online retailers. The products fell into two main categories: raw shark steaks and shark jerky (shark meat that’s been salted, seasoned, and dried). All of the raw meat products were purchased on the east coast. In total, there were 19 raw shark steak samples and 11 shark jerky samples. The researchers then used standard DNA barcoding techniques to identify the specific shark species in each product.

Almost All Products Were Ambiguously Labeled Or Mislabeled

The species of shark was successfully identified in all but one of the 30 samples. Among the 29 identified samples, 27 (93%) were ambiguously labeled (e.g., as just “shark” or with a name like “mako shark” that applies to more than one species). This included 10 jerky products and 17 raw meat products.

Only two products (both raw meat) were labeled with a specific species. However, one of these was mislabeled — sold as a blacktip shark when it was actually a shortfin mako shark. The other product, from a blacktip shark, was correctly labeled.

Many At-Risk Species Were Detected

A total of 11 different species were identified, of which three were listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. These included the tope shark (found in three samples), great hammerhead shark (one sample), and scalloped hammerhead shark (one sample). The shortfin mako shark, classified as Endangered, was found in four samples. The researchers also identified four Vulnerable species: the common thresher shark (three samples), blacktip shark (two samples), spinner shark (two samples), and lemon shark (one sample). In total, 59% of identified products (17 out of 29) contained species threatened with extinction.

The remaining species were classified as either Near Threatened (dusky smooth-hound shark: six samples; Pacific angelshark: three samples) or Least Concern (Atlantic sharpnose shark: three samples).

Why Unclear Labeling Matters

This study only analyzed 30 products, so the sample size was very small. In addition, all of the raw meat products came from the east coast, which may limit how applicable the findings are to other regions of the United States. Larger, more geographically representative studies would enable us to get a better sense of the scale of the issue.

Still, it’s clear that vague and inaccurate labeling keeps consumers in the dark about what they’re eating. This could expose them to mercury, arsenic, and other heavy metal poisoning. For example, large hammerhead species, found in two samples in this study, tend to have high levels of mercury in their meat and fins, and people are advised not to consume them. At the same time, unclear labeling lets shark species threatened with extinction enter the market undetected. It makes it harder to track how individual species are faring, so declines in vulnerable populations could go unnoticed.

Based on these findings, species-specific labeling of shark products must be implemented. In the U.S., this starts with the Food and Drug Administration, whose Seafood List currently allows shark species to be sold under the generic name “shark.” The E.U.’s more detailed seafood labeling rules offer one possible model. Genetic testing, such as the DNA barcoding used here, is also important for revealing which species are actually being sold. It could also help determine whether sharks threatened with extinction are entering the market illegally, which would support enforcement efforts. In the meantime, because labels can’t currently be relied on, advocates can encourage grocery stores, seafood markets, and online sellers to stop selling shark products. They can also urge consumers not to buy them.