DNA barcoding continues to identify endangered species of shark sold as food in a globally significant shark fin trade hub.

ABSTRACT: Shark fins are a delicacy consumed throughout Southeast Asia. The life history characteristics of sharks and the challenges associated with regulating fisheries and the fin trade make sharks particularly susceptible to overfishing. Here, we used DNA barcoding techniques to investigate the composition of the shark fin trade in Singapore, a globally significant trade hub. We collected 505 shark fin samples from 25 different local seafood and Traditional Chinese Medicine shops. From this, we identified 27 species of shark, three species are listed as Critically Endangered, four as Endangered and ten as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Six species are listed on CITES Appendix II, meaning that trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompa

SUBMITTER: Selena Shen KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10771092 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature