Markets flooded with baby shark meat

Despite warnings by environmentalists on the dangers of shark population being decimated in the UAE, fish market and local supermarkets in Dubai and Sharjah continue to be flooded with several species of baby shark netted by local fishermen.

By Meraj Rizvi And Zaigham Ali Mirza

Published: Wed 10 Sep 2003, 12:11 PM

Last updated: Thu 27 Oct 2022, 2:31 PM

Experts said baby sharks are being caught and there are no statistics currently available on shark population in the waters around the UAE. Tough regulations on over-fishing and sale of juvenile sharks are needed to be enforced soon, pointed out the experts. While adult sharks are needed for survival of the species, huge number of young sharks are being caught. The experts warned that this could lead to serious problems.

Baby sharks are available at local fish markets and chain supermarkets in the UAE. Though not as popular as other types of fish, baby sharks attract a lot of attention and are slowly catching on as an exotic delicacy among the local population.

Besides, tonnes of shark fin fill warehouses from Fujairah to Sharjah every year for shipment to the Far East. One dealer alone in Sharjah deals in 10 tonnes of shark fin every year, with most of it fished from the waters of the UAE, Oman, Yemen, Bahrain, Iran and Saudi Arabia, according to a report on marine life of the UAE appeared on the Internet.

Commenting on shark fishing and trade in the UAE, an official at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said: "The new fishing law does not prohibit fishing of shark in the UAE waters. However, shark finning and throwing away of the shark remains back into the sea or dumping them on the coast is prohibited under the New Fisheries Law No. 23 issued in 2002.

"Under the new law, fishing of whales, dugong, turtles, sponge and coral reefs have been prohibited as they are declared endangered species globally."

Sale of a number of shark species is therefore not illegal and allowed in the local markets, the official said, disclosing that shark meat is becoming increasingly popular among people, both, locally and around the globe.

"Sharks from the coastal waters of the UAE form a small portion of the total exports, mostly to countries in the Far East, and most of the catch is from Oman, Yemen, Somalia and other countries," said the general manager of a Sharjah-based seafood exporting company. According to him, shark meat, though exported to other countries and also enjoyed locally, is not as popular as shark fins.

"Shark meat contains high amounts of urea and therefore has to be processed before consumption. The one country where demand for shark meat is the highest is Taiwan. Otherwise most of the orders are for dried shark fins," he commented and added that his company exports large quantities of shark meat procured from the coastal areas of Gujarat, India.

Replying to a question, he denied that baby sharks are primary targets. "In fact they are a by-catch; they are netted usually by fisherman not hunting for sharks but other small, popularly eaten fish varieties," he noted. He said that as a result of growing popularity, some fisherman could be deliberately catching baby sharks and selling them in the market as a by-catch.

According to a fisherman at the Deira Fish Market, shark meat is considered by some people to have medicinal properties, while shark-fin soup is believed to be an aphrodisiac.

"Quite a few of my customers have admitted that they like to eat shark meat or fins for reasons other than taste," he said.

He added that young sharks, which are more widely available, are more preferred for their tender meat than big sharks, but a shark fin's economic value is directly proportional to its size.