Did you know that in many places shark fins are considered valuable products? Because of this, many gangs hunt these animals illegally just to remove that specific part of their body and sell it.
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Recently, IBAMA (Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) seized 28.7 tons of shark fins. These products would be shipped to Asia illegally.
According to studies, possibly over 10,000 sharks were captured and killed so that these fins could be transported. The dead animals belonged to the Anequim and Azul species.
More information about the case
The cargo of shark fins that was found by Ibama can be considered the largest ever recorded in the world, mainly because of the place where the sharks were caught.
Most of the illegal shipment was apprehended in only one company responsible for the export, located in Santa Catarina. Only there, 27.6 tons of fins were found. The other part of the cargo was found by inspectors in São Paulo, at Guarulhos Airport. In both cases, the cargo was located in flagrante delicto.
These shark fins are exportedbecause they are very appreciated in Asia, and can even be used as spices in the preparation of dishes, such as soups and stews.
Is shark fishing allowed in Brazil?
Shark fishing in Brazil is a totally illegal practice. As highlighted by Ibama, all fishing vessels are authorized to capture specific species of fish, not including sharks.
The vessels that were found had a capture rate greater than 80% of what is allowed by the agency, and this drew attention.
IBAMA claims that the illegal and irregular capture of sharks can be a major problem for species around the world, causing many of them to become extinct or threatened.