Why are Supermarkets Selling Shark Meat?

There's a rash of shark attacks happening throughout the world's oceans. But here's the real problem: It's the sharks who are the victims.

Due to an increased global demand for the fish's meat, shark populations have seriously plummeted in recent years. According to Oceana, more than 100 million sharks are killed every year for their meat, oftentimes through "finning," a brutal process where fishermen cut off sharks' fins and throw their bodies into the ocean to die. In other cases, sharks get trapped and killed as bycatch during longline tuna fishing. Some species of shark have declined by as much as 99 percent. Sharks may reign at the top of the ocean's food chain, but the fish's survival is nothing short of precarious.

The severity of the shark situation is well-documented, yet stores and restaurants across the world still serve up shark meat. Even Henry's Farmers Markets, a grocery store chain, sells shark meat, despite the store's supposed commitment to providing products that "support a healthy lifestyle." I've got news for you, Henry's: Shark meat isn't healthy for people, and it sure as heck isn't healthy for ocean ecosystems.

This whole situation begs the question of why shark meat is so popular in the first place. Historically, only the most uppercrust families in China consumed shark fin soup. But recently, the soup's popularity expanded exponentially, and is now eaten throughout Asia by middle and upper classes. Folks throughout the world also consume the fish's meat, but the fins are where the real money lies. To show just how popular shark fin soup has become, according to an Oceana report (pdf), in 2008, 87 countries exported shark fins to Hong Kong, including the U.S.

Maybe I'm naive or just fussy about my fish, but I'm truly surprised by shark's popularity, especially considering that shark fishing is so unhealthy for both people and the environment. Most species of shark contain extremely high levels of mercury, so consuming them really isn't advisable for anyone. Plus, sharks reign at the top of oceanic food chains, serving the all-important task of keeping populations of other species in check. Remove the top of the food chain and the world's waters can get—to put it mildly—irreparably damaged. Shark fin soup already seems pretty unappetizing. The fact that it's loaded with mercury and is largely responsible for the world's declining oceans—well, I'd rather eat something as gross as KFC's Double Down sandwich.

To really boost shark populations, the world needs to institute international shark fin bans, adopt species-specific management, and make efforts to reduce shark bycatch. According to the International Union of Conservation for Nature (IUCN), 50 of the world's 307 shark species are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. Yet only three shark species—the white, whale, and basking—are protected internationally by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The population data on sharks is out there, but legislative bodies can't (or rather, won't), put the proper protections in place.

Groups like Oceana and Iemanya Oceanica are pushing for greater protections for sharks. But consumers can take action now by refusing to eat the fish and calling out supermarkets that continue to sell the threatened swimmer. If we decrease demand for shark meat, fishermen will eventually realize it's not worth their while to keep killing the animals. Sign this petition telling Henry's Farmers Market to stop selling shark meat, and be on the lookout for other supermarkets that may stock imperiled sharks.

Photo credit: StormyDog via Flickr