Want to join us at the UNOC in Nice, France?
When: Wednesday the 11th of June 2025 from 02:45 – 03:30 pm
Location: Whale – Room: Orca
You need to register for entering the Green Zone: https://we-are-the-ocean.com
No registration is required to join the event.
The official program: https://we-are-the-ocean.com/program/27649
Direct Democracy for Marine Conservation:
How an EU Citizens Initiative motivated 1.1 million people to support a shark fin trade ban.
Why did 1.1 million Europeans demand a ban on shark fins?
Surprisingly, Europe is still the world’s largest exporter of shark fins—despite existing regulations.
Isn’t shark finning already illegal?
While the practice of cutting fins off sharks at sea and discarding the bodies is banned, a legal loophole still permits fishers to catch sharks, bring them to shore, remove the fins, and export them — primarily to Asia — while selling the meat locally or to South America.
This loophole plays a significant role in the estimated 100 million sharks killed each year due to human activity. Most shark species targeted by fisheries are now classified as threatened with extinction by the IUCN. In some regions, like the Mediterranean, species such as the blue shark are nearing local extinction. Beyond the ecological impact, consuming shark meat also poses serious public health risks due to its high mercury content.
As the first successful European Citizens’ Initiative focused on marine conservation, this effort sheds light on the state of sharks in Europe, the role of citizen participation in EU democracy, and the opportunities and limitations of that process. We’ll conclude with a status update on where the initiative stands and what action is now required from the EU and the Commission.
