Editorial | Study shows Hong Kong must do better to end illegal shark fin trade
A recent study showed products from endangered species are still entering Hong Kong’s market, revealing worrying gaps in oversight
The research was led by Mote Marine Laboratory in collaboration with Florida International University and Hong Kong’s Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden. About 16,000 shark fin samples were taken from the city’s retail markets between 2014 and 2021. DNA analysis showed 6.5 per cent of them to be from species listed and protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The findings demonstrate the legal trade in protected species, recorded in CITES databases, to be dwarfed by illicit imports. An estimated 95 per cent of trade in the critically endangered oceanic whitetip shark is unlawful.
Steps are needed to ensure greater compliance with CITES. The trade in some species is subject to quotas and permits, while for others it is banned. Regulation has been tightened, with the oceanic whitetip shark placed in the top category in which trade is banned.
The protection is welcome, but it will only be effective if rigorously enforced with more inspections, frequent DNA testing, greater supply chain transparency and better intelligence. There is a need for close collaboration between governments, conservation groups and other parties involved. The private sector must also play a part.
Hong Kong has made some progress in combating the broader illegal trade in wildlife. The city won a UN “Impact” award last year for cracking a major money-laundering case involving live corals. Such efforts must be accelerated if the city is to shed its reputation as a centre for the trade.