Shark finning – the practice of removing the fins from a captured shark and discarding the rest, often still alive, back into the ocean – is banned in many countries due to its inhumane and unsustainable nature. However, these fins are highly valued for their use in shark fin soup, a delicacy in China and other east Asian countries.
I’ve been investigating the industrial fishing fleets that operate in the waters of five developing countries – Senegal, Ghana, Peru, Ecuador and the Philippines – but aren’t from these countries. Some have been caught finning or practicing other unsustainable fishing practices in these so-called “distant waters”.
