In December 2020, Defra announced a call for evidence on the scale of shark fin trade in the UK, seeking advice on the conservation impacts as well as economic, social and cultural impacts. According to a report of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) the UK has reported between 2,000 tonnes and 3,000 tonnes of ‘marketable fin’ shark species landings per year between 2015 and 2018 with 12,000 tonnes and 14,000 tonnes landings per year reported by the UK under the Finning Regulation. Thereby the UK ranked number four with regard to shark landings within EU coastal states, after Spain, Portugal, and France.
The evidence provided in the recent consultation has now been used to develop a policy measure that seeks to ban all fins that are not naturally attached to the shark carcass from being imported to and exported from the UK, subject to specific scientific and training exceptions. The ban will apply to detached fins brought into the UK commercially or under the personal import allowance. The aim is to deliver effective shark conservation benefits globally, as well as demonstrate leadership in shark conservation issues and signal the strong opposition of the UK to any ongoing finning practices.