On July 9, 2024, a significant step was taken in the fight for shark conservation at the European Commission’s Stakeholders’ Consultation Event in Vigo, Spain. This meeting, held at the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) in the “capital of shark fishing,” was organized to bring together fleet owners, lobbyists, traders, NGOs, and environmental advocates for a balanced dialogue on shark protection. This consultation marked an essential moment in the movement to safeguard declining shark populations.
During the four-hour event, attendees explored the environmental, social, and economic impacts of proposed EU measures to enhance shark protection. Topics ranged from enforcing current fishing regulations to introducing sustainability certifications, bilateral agreements, and a potential EU-wide ban on the import and export of detached shark fins. The fishing industry maintained that current practices are “fully sustainable,” yet conservation advocates presented stark evidence: shark populations have plummeted by over 90% in the past 70 years, driven largely by overfishing and the fin trade, which continues to threaten vulnerable and endangered species.
The urgency for stricter monitoring and regulation was made clear. Without comprehensive oversight, the loosely regulated fin trade poses a significant threat to sustainability, compromising efforts to protect these critical marine animals and undermining marine ecosystem health.
This event, supported by Stop Finning Deutschland e.V. and Sea Shepherd Global, was an essential platform for the voices of over 1.1 million European citizens advocating for a shark fin trade-free Europe. As momentum grows, there is a unified push towards the goal of a sustainable and protected future for sharks across Europe.
Join the movement to protect sharks and our oceans. #StopFinningEU
