A 2024 report Singapore plays a pivotal role in the intricate network of the shark fin trade. Here, the fins are frequently exported in dried forms and marketed using generic terms such as "shark fin" or "dried seafood," rather than specifying the species of origin.

An international team, led by researchers from the National University of Singapore collected 505 shark fin samples from 25 different local seafood and Traditional Chinese Medicine shops across Singapore.

The team discovered an alarming  27 different shark species, with three classified as Critically Endangered, four as Endangered, and ten as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The top five frequently encountered species in this investigation were the milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus; as the most common), the silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis), school shark (Galeorhinus galeus), scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) and the smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena).  All but the Milk shark are CITES listed species and protected from trade.

This is a huge problem since  two-thirds of the sharks involved in the global fin trade are at risk of extinction. Shark fins ambiguously labeled allow for trade in endangered and CITES protected sharks, and is causing populations to decline.

Shark Stewards has a team on the ground in Singapore and will be reporting new data and a public campaign for the Government of Singapore to live up to their commitments and stop the trade of endangered sharks.

Please share this petition.