Shark Products

The Shark Trust would like to thank Nigel Hulbert who kindly agreed to create this document. All content was researched by Nigel and any opinions featured in this document are his own.

If you would like to volunteer with the Shark Trust please email: enquiries@sharktrust.org

Contents

Introduction Shark cartilage Shark liver oil Shark fin trade Shark meat Internal organs and other edible products Shark hides Shark teeth and jaws Taxidermy sharks Aquarium trade Sport Fishing Art Good News Conclusion About the Author References

Introduction

Massive consumer demand for shark fins and other shark related products have created an industry motivated by high returns. Shark fins have become one of the world’s most precious commodities reaching astronomic figures. It was recently reported that the dorsal fin of a whale shark alone fetched $15,000 at market. It is not surprising, therefore, that more than 125 countries around the world, including the UK, now trade in shark products contributing to an uncontrollable surge in the number taken from the oceans of the world. In the last 50 years the slaughter of sharks has risen by 400% and by 2017 it is anticipated that 20 species of shark could become extinct (1). What follows is a list of the ‘most popular’ shark products.

Author: Nigel Hulbert 1

Shark cartilage Shark cartilage is a hugely popular dietary supplement that has been credited with providing health benefits to people suffering from ailments such as arthritis, fibromyalgia and cancer (2).

Do sharks hold the cure to cancer?

No. Contrary to popular belief sharks do get cancer. John Coffey a cancer biologist at John Hopkins University succinctly said, “I don’t think there is any benefit to buying shark cartilage and eating it [as an anticacinogenic] any more than I think that eating rabbit will make me run faster.” In addition an article appearing in the December 2004 issue of "Cancer Research" confirmed that shark cartilage preparations have to date shown absolutely no effect in treating cancer. Shark cartilage can easily be bought online; here are just two examples of websites selling this shark product:

Worldwide Business Bridge Holland and Barrett To find out more about shark cartilage products visit the Shark Trust campaign ‘Shark Cartilage: a

bitter pill?’ Click Here

Shark liver oil

Shark liver oil is an old established natural health product used in ancient times in Norway and Sweden to promote the healing of wounds, irritations of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract and general debility. Over 100 years later, scientific studies researching the health benefits of shark liver oil have sparked new interest in various components found in the oil that exert beneficial effects on the body. Shark liver oil has been found to be rich in two very important constituents: alkylglycerols and squalene. Alkylglycerols are involved in the production of white blood cells. They increase the amount of white blood cells whose major function is to destroy bacteria, fungi and viruses. Squalene exerts a positive effect on liver and immune function and plays an important role in the skin as a fungistatic and carcinogen protective agent from UV exposure.

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(3)

Oil extracted from the livers of sharks is becoming increasingly popular as a booster for the immune system and even as a way of preventing cancer.Looking at industrial usage, the squalene from sharks is, for example, used as a basis for lubricants and cleaning agents, even though the equivalent squalene compound can be got from plants.

Shark-based squalene has a readily available substitute on the market that comes from a purely vegetable origin. Squalene can be obtained from olives (a component of olive oil) and it has the same qualities of animal-based squalene and is less expensive than the animal version.

Shark fin trade

The most damaging to sharks, it would appear that very few sharks are safe from this.

Finning is a terribly destructive practice that involves catching a shark, cutting off its fins and discarding the rest of the animal, which is often thrown back into the water to die.

As many as 100 million sharks die in this way every year, causing immense damage to shark populations. Shark fins are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world, notably East Asia. A bowl of shark’s fin soup can fetch as much as $100, making sharks highly profitable for fishermen and the demand for them is rising as the Asian population grows.

Some countries, notably the USA, have banned shark finning in the last few years, but such bans are difficult to enforce elsewhere, especially as sharks regularly migrate across international boundaries. Finning is still practised all over the world, in places as far apart as South America and Australia, and many species are declining as a result. Blue sharks in particular are at great risk, and some authorities estimate that 90% of fins are gathered from this one species alone.

Like hundreds of other fish species, sharks are under increasing pressure from the global fishing industry. As stocks of edible fish decline all over the world, many fishing fleets are turning to sharks as an alternative food source, with potentially catastrophic effects, not just on shark populations, but on the marine ecosystem too.

Shark populations take a long time to recover from overfishing. They grow very slowly and take a long time to reach sexual maturity – 20 years or more in some species. When they do reproduce, they produce very few offspring compared to other food fish species. These factors have already endangered several species of shark, particularly in coastal areas with large populations to feed, such as the North Atlantic coast of America.

The decline in the number of sharks has serious consequences for the ecosystems in which they live. Sharks are a vital part of the food chain, and their predatory nature helps to keep populations of their prey species in

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check. Without sharks to help maintain a healthy balance, marine environments are at great risk of permanent damage.

Paradoxically, the extremely high levels of mercury in shark fin can leave a man infertile (4).

Shark fins can easily be bought online, you can buy frozen Gummy Shark Fin and School shark fins from MH Frozen Shark Fin Trader.

To find out more about Shark Finning, visit the Shark Trust campaign ‘Stop Shark Finning’ Click Here

Shark meat

Often shark products are found in the most unexpected places. Shark meat is available in restaurants, cafés or supermarkets, even under diverse other names: smoked fish strips, dried cod/stockfish, rock salmon and as an ingredient of Fish & Chips or imitation crabmeat. Shark products are found in dog food, fishmeal and even in fertilizers

In the UK shark meat is predominantly Porbeagle, Spiny Dogfish (Rock Salmon!) Shortfin Mako, Smoothhound, Catsharks, Skates and Rays.

To find out more about Rock Salmon, visit the Shark Trust campaign ‘Rock Salmon: On the rocks’ Click Here

Internal organs and other edible products

Although there are no statistics that exist on trade, production or consumption of the other edible parts of shark, there are a variety of dishes sold worldwide that are made from these body parts.

Shark skin

Shark skin is eaten in various parts of the world, particularly in Japan, Taiwan Province of China, Solomon Islands and Maldives. Shark skin is usually dried, then the dermal denticles are removed, the skin bleached and dried again In Japan shark skins with flaws are used to produce the gelatinous food nikigor. In Taiwan Province of China, skin from the dusky shark and the whale shark is served in restaurants, as is also the upper part of the tail fin from thresher sharks. White-spotted guitarfish (Rhynchobatus djiddensis) gives the best quality skin from the tail fin. In the Solomon Islands shark skin is salted, dried or smoked with

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little meat left on the skin. Usually it is salted and then sun dried or smoked. Then it is boiled and the denticles rubbed off. Finally it is cooked with coconut milk to prepare soup.

Processing of the product called shark lips involves removing the denticles from the dried skin, bleaching with hydrogen peroxide, rinsing with water to remove the residual bleaching agent and re-drying before marketing. It is rehydrated before cooking. The cooked skin is soft, smooth and juicy and is sold in Singapore and Malaysia under the name fish lips.

Shark stomach

Shark stomach is eaten in the Solomon Islands, Australia, Taiwan Province of China and Uruguay. In the Solomon Islands processing of shark stomach is similar to that for shark skin described above.

Shark liver

Shark liver has been traditionally used as food in the Solomon Islands and China, amongst others. In the Solomon Islands the liver is sliced, salted and eaten but it can also be eaten fresh after harvesting and cooking or preserved by salting and, much later, cooked before eating. According to Tanikawa, after the shark liver oil has been separated, the residue, called "cooked skin of whale", is eaten as a delicacy in the Osaka district of Japan.

Shark eggs

In the Maldives gulper shark eggs are eaten.

Shark heart

Salmon shark heart is prepared as sashimi in Kesennuma, Japan (5).

Shark hides

The skin of sharks and rays is made of fine scales known as denticles. Its primary is in leather products. Shark skins are tanned in the same way as the skin of most terrestrial animals such as cows. The United States, northern Europe and Japan are major markets for shark skin.  It is used in the manufacture of luxury items including boots and shoes, handbags, wallets and purses, belts, watch straps, holsters and for ornamentation. According to the United Nations, Tiger, Lemon, Dusky, Nurse, Sandbar, Porbeagle, Shortfin Mako, Scalloped Hammerhead and Bull Sharks are most often used in the manufacture of leather goods

The hard scales provide an abrasive surface to the skin of sharks and some rays, giving it a special value, as a leather called shagreen, for polishing hard wood. When heated and polished, shagreen is used for decorating ornaments and, in Japan, for covering sword hilts. Here are some examples of online fashion retailers who are selling items made from shark hide. Retailer: Exotic LeatherProduct: “genuine shark leather”

‘We are proud to introduce our new collection of high quality handcrafted exotic leather products, made from the finest Shark Skin available in the market. Shark leather is one of the toughest leathers known to man. By various calculations it has been assessed at from 7 to 11 times stronger than cowhide. Because of the unique beauty, durability and extraordinary properties of the Shark Skin, we are certain that even the most demanding clientele will enjoy and treasure these fine handcrafted shark leather masterpieces for many years to come.

Our products are made from genuine shark skin with the sophisticated dyeing and tanning process. All of shark leather products are elaborately assembled by the artisans. You may notice how neat shark skin goods are being crafted and the finishing is superb. It is being limitedly exported now to Germany, France, USA, and

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Japan to certain boutique shops only. Shark species used to manufacture goods neither endangered nor threatened species.

Retailer: Global and Gorgeous

Product: diamond stingray cuffs

A snip at a mere £295.00 !!!

Retailer: Toad TradersProduct: shark skin leather

‘Shark leather properties are unique – one of the toughest known to man.By various calculations it has been assessed to be 7-11 times stronger than cowhide. Its unique beauty and durability makes it one of the most sought after skin product in the world.

While some shark species enjoy the protection of CITES, our products are made from the non – protected species!!! Therefore you can rest assured that the product you are purchasing is not made of endangered or protected animals’

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Who says?

Retailer: Nashville BootsProduct: shark skin shoes

Designer: Oliver Sweeney and Dylan JonesProduct: stingray shoes

A new line of limited edition shoes made from stingray skin are the latest 'must have' fashion accessory.

The shoes crafted by a Devon designer come in a range of 15 colours and sell for £750 a pair.Celebrity wearers include Jamie Cullum, Will Smith, Jack Dee, Will Young and Gordon Ramsay. Oliver Sweeney designed the stingray shoes with the help of Dylan Jones, the editor of men's style magazine GQ.

Retailer: Prodirect SoccerProduct: football boots

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Kelme Tiburon 'Shark Skin' Soft Ground Football Boots.

The sharkskin's unique microstructure also gives excellent shape retention whilst the tooth-like denticles give improved 'ball grip' during play helping to improve swerve when shooting or passing.

The Kelme Shark is one of the most outstanding new releases. This incredible boot is made from genuine shark skin leather bringing strength, flexibility and comfort.

"Cunning on the grass, this boot's dynamic structure features gills and real shark skin, bringing the sea's fiercest predator onto the playing field."

Shark teeth & jaws

Shark products are often seen for sale in tourist shops in seaside areas, despite the fact that in many countries it is illegal to catch sharks. The teeth and jaws of the great white shark can fetch substantial sums on the international market, with single teeth often selling for over $100 and a whole set of jaws from a big shark fetching up to $10,000 in the USA. Illegal smuggling of teeth and jaws from white sharks is becoming increasingly common in countries such as South Africa, where sharks are legally protected.

It is unfortunate that tourists find Shark, especially Great White Shark, teeth so appealing... Buying a "fresh" shark tooth is never good! All Shark species are under incredible fishing pressure with which their populations cannot cope. Shark fishing is never sustainable! Instead of buying a "fresh" Shark tooth, buy the freely available fossilized Shark teeth available on the open market. There are also very real looking artificial Shark teeth on the market for those who wish to buy a White Shark looking tooth for example.

South Africa was the first country in the world to protect the Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) in April 1991. It is a shame that over a decade later, White Sharks are still caught either by the Natal Sharks Board to protect the beaches along the Natal coastline, through accidental by-catch in commercial fishing, killed by some novice (or just plain stupid) spear fishermen, and by poachers.

Here are some examples of retailers who are shark teeth.

eBay

On eBay large genuine White Shark tooth necklace (Rarely found size!!!) £4.99 !!! Shark jaws from 6” Bull Shark jaws at £9.99 to Short Fin Mako Shark jaw at £44.99

Real shark teeth

Cost from US$1.25 - $2.50 depending upon size

These sharks' teeth come from the white tip shark in the waters off Bangladesh.  These teeth are all specimen quality and are thoroughly cleaned.  These teeth are NOT fossilized, but are from recently killed sharks and are a bright white in colour. 

Genus and species: Carcharhinus longimanus.

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This is an Oceanic White Tipped Shark and according to the Red List is NT. Near Threatened.

Taxidermy sharks

Here are some examples of retailers, who are selling taxidermy sharks,

Retailer: Chichester, Inc.Product: shark in a bottle

On sale for US$25.00 ‘We have a sporadic supply of real baby sharks in a bottle.  These sharks are not endangered species.  The bottle is 2.5" (6.25 cm) wide and 7" (17.5 cm) in height (8.5" or 21 cm including the stand).  The liquid used is water and alcohol in a 6:1 ratio with a blue dye.  Genus and species:  Carcharhinus leucas.’ (This is a Bull Shark and according to Red List is NT Near Threatened)

On sale for US$55.00We now offer Taxidermy Leopard Sharks. They vary between 19" and 25" (48 and 63.5 cm) in length. These sharks are not mounted and have a mix of brown, gray and white colouring. Genus and species:  Triakis semifasciataThese sharks are not endangered species, but they are NOT for export.

Red List shows this species as LR. Lower Risk

Aquarium trade

Below are sections from news articles that report on sharks being sold to aquariums.

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Whale sharks at Georgia Aquarium by ScienceBlogs.com

The Georgia Aquarium announced this morning a new program that allows the Joe Public to swim with their famed whale sharks, among other critters, in their largest tank. For the low price of $199 a swim or $290 for a SCUBA dive

Georgia Aquarium Mourns Another of Its Whale Sharks by the New York Times

For the second time in five months, the Georgia Aquarium is mourning one of its stars; a young whale shark named Norton who was euthanized by veterinarians early Wednesday morning after he stopped swimming and slipped to the bottom of his tank.The exact cause of his illness is not yet known, said Ray Davis, the senior vice president for zoological operations.The shark had been swimming and eating poorly for months, a change in his health that seemed to coincide with the use of a chemical pesticide to treat his tank for an infestation of parasitic leeches, Mr. Davis said.Another young whale shark named Ralph, who was also exposed to the treatments, died in January after he stopped swimming and could not be revived.

It would appear that the most common sharks for aquariums are:-Coral CatsharkBrown Banded Bamboo SharkEpaulette Shark

For sale on the internet

Retailer ‘Just Rare Fish’ are selling Epaulette and Port Jackson

Sport Fishing

South Africa:

We know of at least two companies, one in Struisbaai and the other in False Bay, who offer commercial deep-sea fishing trips and who advertise White Shark fishing as a potential possibility. The article published in the Cape Times on the 16th of October 2003, hopefully will inform the general public about the facts and problems, and hopefully this bust will represent a beginning of tracking down the culprits (6).

UK I have located a number of Sea Anglers Associations and some boat charters for Shark Angling around the UK coast. Very few of them mention on their web sites whether they apply the catch and release formulae. White Water Charters do Catch and Release to Protect our Sport White Water operates catch and release policy when shark fishing. It’s the only way forward if we are to keep a healthy shark fishery. Other ports have found out that if you kill your sharks you also kill your sport (7).

Nigel Hulbert: “I would not think that any charter or angling association would state on their web site that they DO NOT support catch and release for fear of recriminations!!”

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ART??

Artist Damian Hirst

With The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991), his infamous tiger shark in a glass tank of formaldehyde shown at the Saatchi Gallery, Damien Hirst became a media icon and household name. He has since been imitated, parodied, reproached and exalted by the media and public alike.

Read a review by The Age.com on Damian Hirst’s work

Hirst has a knack for making money. His original pickled tiger shark, bought from Mr Hislop in 1991 for $10,000, was on-sold to an American businessman in 2004 for $16.2 million.

According to some rough calculations, Hirst still has two big tigers and a great white in the tank — enough to knock out nearly $50 million worth of fine art.

Mr Hislop himself is accustomed to keeping frozen sharks on hand; a white pointer he sent to Hirst last year had been in his home deep-freeze for 12 years.

Good News!!

Marine conservation organisation Oceana has received notice that Unilever, a multinational company famous for many brands of food, personal care and household products, has decided to remove shark squalene from its cosmetic brands, including Pond’s and Dove, and will replace it with a plant-based version. According to Unilever, the new production will begin early this year and new formulations are expected to appear on market shelves beginning April 2008.

WetPixel reported that Amazon.com pulled shark fin products from inventory but it would appear at that time (11 Jan 2007) the company was still offering Great Gourmet fresh Mako Shark (5 lbs). As you can see below since the report it would appear that the mako shark product has been pulled from their listing (8).

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Availability: Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.

Conclusion I hope that you find that this is not acceptable. Sharks are apex predators and help to keep the seas and oceans vibrant.

Vince Hislop the Australian White Shark Hunter seems to think that the only good shark is a dead shark. Quoted in Underwater Times 8th September 2005 Vic Hislop, an Australian shark hunter for four decades who calls himself ``Shark Man,'' says the actual death toll may be higher than official estimates.

Hislop said there had been four fatalities in Australian waters in the past 14 months. He has been pushing for a national cull for the past 30 years.

``There is no doubt we need a huge national cull, because sharks are a massive blight on marine life,'' Hislop, 58, said in an interview from Hervey Bay. ``Humans are also now right on the menu for these senseless eating machines.''

Hislop, who claims to have killed more than 1,100 sharks runs Vic Hislop's Shark World in Cairns and Hervey Bay. The museum includes Hislop's ``greatest trophy'' -- the carcass of a 22-foot great white shark whose open mouth is 2.4 meters tall. (9)

I’m rather of the opposite opinion – the only good White Shark hunter is a dead one!!

There are many ways in which you can help.

If you are not a Shark Trust member then please join – they are in corroboration with other concerned groups, which are trying to do something about this via education, the media and Political means. To join the Shark Trust Click Here

Write to your MP or e mail the Minister at Defra, to find out how Click Here Don’t buy Huss or Rock Salmon (This is spiny dogfish – an endangered species) from your local Fish

and Chip shop or your local supermarket. To find out more about Rock Salmon, visit the Shark Trust campaign ‘Rock Salmon: On the rocks’

Click Here Do whatever you can – Time is running out.

Thank you.

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About the Author

Name: Nigel Hulbert

Occupation: Retired Civil ServantHobbies: SCUBA Diving & all things relating to Marine Life. The Undersea World especially Sharks. Shark research for the Shark Trust.

Many, many years ago when I was about 5 years old my father took me to the Natural History Museum in London. We went into, what I thought at the time, was a huge room full of stuffed fish, sharks, rays, coral and lots of other things from the marine world. High up on one of the walls, at the end, was a stuffed White Shark. Quite a big one I remember. I said to my dad “I wish I could see and swim with one of those” I cannot remember his reply but I don’t think he was very taken aback. I had a craze for them then!45 years later and my dream came true when I had the pleasure of going to Gansbai in South Africa and cage dived with these magnificent animals. Since then I have SCUBA dived with Whale Sharks, Scalloped Hammerheads, Grey Reef Sharks, White tipped Reef Sharks, Black tipped Reef Sharks and a host of others. ‘Whitey’ as I call the White Shark is still my favourite and my wife and I even had a Great White wedding cake!! Perhaps I am a bit Shark mad!

I have over the years become increasingly concerned and appalled at the plight of sharks in our seas and oceans. Researching sharks for the Shark Trust database has given me even more insight into their plight and just how many are vulnerable and nigh on extinct. The purpose of this article is to try and bring to your attention, dear reader, what people are doing to sharks.

If you would like to volunteer with the Shark Trust please email: enquiries@sharktrust.org

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Me and my first Great White

References:

1. Bite-Back

2: Quackometer

3. Altheath 4. Discovery Channel

5. Fao

6. White Shark Trust 7. Whitewater Charters

8. Amazon

9. Underwater Times

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