In one of the biggest swoops, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized over 8,000 kg of shark fins from Mumbai and Veraval on Gujarat coast, worth several crores.
The consignment was part of a wildlife smuggling racket and was to be sent to China and Hong Kong.
While 3,000 kg were seized from a godown at Sewri in Mumbai, the rest were seized from a godown in Veraval fishing town in Gujarat.
Investigation by Mumbai office of DRI has indicated that the entire consignment was bound for export to China and Hong Kong. “Wildlife inspectors have confirmed the seized goods to be “shark fins”. Investigation revealed that stocks of “shark fins” are replenished regularly,” DRI officials said on Monday.
The modus operandi involved export of shark fins by wrong declaration as Dried Ray Skins, Dried Marine Products and Fish Maw to avoid detection and circumvent prohibition.Shark fins of various species of sharks are prohibited from export.
Shark fin soup
Shark fins are used for preparing a delicacy called the ‘Shark fin soup’. It is a traditional soup or stewed dish found in Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine.
The shark fins provide texture, while the taste comes from the other soup ingredients. It is commonly served at special occasions such as weddings and banquets, and is considered a luxury item in Chinese culture. One bowl of Shark fin soup costs upwards of $100.
Shark finning is an act of removing fins from sharks, often while the shark is alive. Fishermen choose to keep just the shark fins—only 1 to 5 % of a shark’s weight—and throw the rest of the shark away rather than have the less valuable parts take up space on the boat.
These sharks without their fins are still alive when they are discarded back in the ocean. Without the fins they are unable to swim and sink to the bottom of the sea/ocean, where they often die of suffocation or are eaten up by other predators.
“The carcass often gets washed up on the shores. When shark populations decrease, a ripple effect can spread throughout the rest of the ocean ecosystem,” according to the officials.
