John,
It’s Shark Week, a time to marvel at these ancient sea animals and celebrate their mysterious — and often misunderstood — lives. Sharks play an important role in ocean ecosystems by maintaining the food web and supporting habitats like coral reefs and kelp forests. They deserve our awe and protection.
But in many countries, sharks are still caught and cruelly carved up for their fins.
Mexico, a major shark-fishing nation, is one of the worst offenders. In 2023, 46,000 metric tons of sharks were killed in Mexico’s waters, including critically endangered oceanic whitetip sharks. Meanwhile government officials have failed to adopt the same prohibitions the United States and other countries have put in place to protect sharks from being slaughtered for their fins.
Mexico urgently needs comparable finning prohibitions and stricter enforcement. Just last month inspectors in the port city of Ensenada, Mexico, seized 2.5 tons of shark fins that were bound for China. Without better protection for sharks, more fins are sure to follow.
Healthy oceans need healthy sharks. Urge Mexico to protect these incredible creatures by outlawing the possession, sale, and export of shark fins.
