Singapore's Shark and Ray Imports: towards sustainability and traceability in the region

A quarter of sharks and rays are threatened with extinction, and improved fisheries and trade management is urgently needed to prevent further declines. Without a domestic fishery for sharks and rays, imports are the primary... [ view full abstract ]

A quarter of sharks and rays are threatened with extinction, and improved fisheries and trade management is urgently needed to prevent further declines. Without a domestic fishery for sharks and rays, imports are the primary means of meeting local demand for shark products in Singapore.  Our study looked at two fishing ports in Singapore that import fresh, whole sharks and rays to understand what comes into the country, and what this reveals about fisheries management in the region. We then investigated the local supply chain.

Surveys at the ports identified the species, sex, size and country of origin of the sharks and rays. While catch was reported to come from Indonesia and Malaysia, merchants know very little about their products, including the exact area of catch in these countries. Seven species of shark and thirteen species of ray were identified. 90% of these are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and Near Threatened or Vulnerable, including three species of wedgefish and one species of guitarfish. A large portion of the catch is juveniles. 

The findings call for further research and collaboration in the region to better understand trade routes, conservation implications for target species, and gaps in fisheries management. With a high number of juveniles and threatened species, areas of catch could represent critical habitats, which call for stronger fisheries management measures and more traceable supply chains.