Thousands of shark fins were confiscated by Colombian authorities before they could be illegally shipped to Hong Kong, officials said.
Bogota “seized 3,493 shark fins and 117 kilos of fish bladders that were en route to Hong Kong”, environmental ministry head Carolina Urrutia said.
The haul highlights the continued demand for shark fin, served at wedding banquets in some Chinese communities and falsely believed to have medicinal properties.
The fins, removed from 900 to 1,000 sharks measuring up to five metres, were found on Friday in five boxes in Bogota’s busiest airport El Dorado.
Taken “more than three species” of shark, the fins were likely harvested in “illegal fishing“, said Urrutia, condemning “the irreversible environmental damage to Colombia’s marine ecosystem”.
National police will handle the investigation, she added.
Shark fishing has been banned in Colombia—which is home to 76 of the 500 known shark varieties—since 2020 in an attempt to stem Asia’s fin trade.
The sale and consumption of shark fin is not illegal in Hong Kong but must be licensed, and has remained stubbornly popular despite years of campaigning.
Some of the ocean‘s most vital apex predators, shark populations have been decimated over the last few decades with finning and industrial longline fishing the main culprits.
© 2021 AFP
Citation: More than 3,000 shark fins confiscated in Colombia (2021, September 25) retrieved 7 October 2021 from https://phys.org/news/2021-09-shark-fins-confiscated-colombia.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
Note: This article have been indexed to our site. We do not claim legitimacy, ownership or copyright of any of the content above. To see the article at original source Click Here
Survivor: The Tribe Has Spoken by Exploding Kittens - The only Official Card Game for Survivor Fans - Family Party Game for Ages 8 and up - 3 to 6 Players - Great for Adults, Teens & Kids
$19.99 (as of March 9, 2025 19:44 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
65W 45W USB C Chromebook Charger for HP, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, Asus, Samsung, Universal USB C Laptop Charger for Hp Chromebook X360 11 13 14 14A HP Spectre X360 Lenovo Thinkpad Type C Power Cord
$8.99 (as of March 9, 2025 20:21 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Pink Floyd At Pompeii - MCMLXXII
$40.99 (as of March 9, 2025 19:46 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Dog Shock Collar with Remote Control - Rechargeable Dog Training Collar, IPX7 Waterproof E Collar for Dogs with 4 Safe Modes Flashlight Beep Vibration Shock Ideal for All Dog Sizes (8-150lbs)
$25.99 (as of March 9, 2025 19:44 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
