Study flags concern as hammerhead, oceanic whitetip sharks find way in Hong Kong market

Mumbai: In what comes as a cause of extreme concern, critically-endangered species such as hammerhead sharks and oceanic whitetip sharks continue to appear in alarming numbers in Hong Kong’s markets, the world’s largest hub for the shark-fin trade.

A new study published in Science Advances reveals widespread non-compliance with international trade protections for endangered sharks, showing that global wildlife-trade rules are being routinely violated in one of the world’s largest and highest value marine markets.

Led by researchers from Mote Marine Laboratory, along with Florida International University and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) among others — which was supported by the Shark Conservation Fund — the new study finds that critically endangered species such as hammerhead and oceanic whitetip sharks – first listed under Appendix II more than a decade ago – continue to appear in alarming numbers in Hong Kong’s markets, the world’s largest hub for the shark-fin trade.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a treaty between 185 national governments that regulates – or, for endangered species, bans – international trade in wildlife products. Species listed on Appendix II can be traded only if the trade is proven sustainable and legal; those on Appendix I cannot be traded commercially at all, according to a press release issued globally.

“Oceanic whitetip fins are 70 times more common in the trade than documented by CITES, and hammerheads are 10 times more common,” said Demian Chapman, a co-author on the paper. “

It has been this way since 2014 and unless countries take stronger actions these species may be doomed.”

Using DNA analysis of more than 16,000 fins collected between 2015 and 2021, the researchers found that fins from CITES-listed species appeared in 6.5 per cent of all sampling events – significantly higher than the level Governments report to CITES. In one striking case, they found that 70 times more fins from the Critically Endangered oceanic whitetip shark in Hong Kong markets than appear in official CITES reports, meaning that over 95 per cent of the trade in the species is illegal.

“CITES is the strongest global tool we have to ensure wildlife trade isn’t driving species toward extinction. When it’s implemented well, it works – but more is clearly needed to ensure it works for sharks,” said Luke Warwick, Director of Shark and Ray conservation at WCS and a co-author on the study.

“Forty years ago, green turtles were critically endangered and listed on Appendix I. The global trade stopped, and their populations have rebounded all over the world, and they are no longer endangered. That’s the power of CITES. For some shark species, like the oceanic whitetip, that same level of protection is being considered at CITES CoP20 this month. This study shows just how badly it is needed if we are to save the world's most threatened sharks from trade-driven extinction.”

The study also confirms that Hong Kong continues to function as a global hub for shark-fin trade, including fins from species that should no longer be traded internationally. The researchers found that many exporting countries reported zero trade in these species, despite genetic evidence confirming the presence of sharks caught in their waters and sold on the international market. According to the authors, this gap highlights the urgent need for enforcement and compliance measures to make CITES work as intended.“This study reveals a systemic failure to uphold existing protections,” said Dr Diego Cardeñosa, lead author of the paper.

“Critically endangered shark parts continue to move across borders in large volumes, despite more than a decade of international safeguards. The science is clear: CITES can stop trade-driven extinctions – but only if countries enforce it. We urgently need stronger accountability and better traceability tools to ensure these species aren’t pushed beyond the point of recovery.”