"Arrr! Brazil hath plundered a grand haul of 28.7 tons of shark fins, likely the biggest in all history!"
2023-06-22
Arrr! Brazil hath seized 30 tons, over 63,000 pounds, o' shark fins plucked from illegal waters. One o' these plundered creatures be the endangered shark! Walk the plank, ye scallywags!
Avast, ye scallywags! Brazil has seized a whopping 28.7 tons of shark fins from the illegal killing of over 10,000 sharks, including an endangered species, according to a recent government news release. The fins came from around 4,400 Blue sharks and 5,600 Shortfin mako sharks, which were illegally caught in various locations along the Brazilian coast, mostly in the south. Targeted fishing for sharks is illegal in Brazil, and the seized fins were allegedly destined to be sold illegally to Asia, where shark fins are considered a delicacy. The seizure was part of Operation Makaira, a government effort to combat illegal fishing.The seized shark fins represent a considerable environmental impact, especially since the Shortfin mako shark is endangered. The suspects were "finning" the sharks, a practice where they would cut off the fin of a live shark and throw the rest of the animal back into the ocean, causing the death of thousands of seabirds, some of which are endangered species.
The seizure, which was almost entirely at a single exporting company in the southern coastal state of Santa Catarina, was possibly the biggest in the history of this type of product. The Ibama team also seized 11 tons of shark fins from a different company at the São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport. It's an example of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's focus on protecting the environment and indigenous species after his predecessor weakened environmental protections. "This action is very emblematic because it symbolizes the return of Ibama to the protection of the marine environment and especially the protection of the illegal fish trade in the country," said Jair Schmitt, the head of Ibama.