Study that suggested Australia is a major source of shark fins for soup may have got it wrong

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-07-14 09:01

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Shark_fins_Hong_Kong By Cloneofsnake - CC BY-SA 2.0

International scientists, including Australians, say a previous study that attempted to figure out which nations were the major sources of shark fins used for soup may have got it wrong. The previous study used data from shark fin markets and computer simulations of shark species distributions to determine where shark fins might have originated, and pointed at Australia as a major source of the delicacy. But these scientists say the study relied on assuming sharks were more likely to be caught in areas in which they were most abundant, and assumed fisheries catch to be equal throughout the distribution of any given species. That is not the case, they say, as catches vary widely from area to area, which must be taken into account. They warn that misguided management practices could arise from the previous study.

Media release

From: The Royal Society

Comment - Assigning shark fin origin using Species Distribution Models needs a reality check

Fishing has taken a major toll on the world’s shark populations, in part driven by demand for shark fins. A recent study published in Biology Letters used species distribution models and data from shark fin markets to estimate the nations making the largest contributions to the shark fin trade. However, we show that this study used erroneous baseline data and made inappropriate assumptions about the distribution of fishing. This led to incorrect conclusions about which nations contribute the most to the shark fin trade. Ensuring research passes a reality check means that it can direct management responses appropriately.

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Journal/
conference: Biology Letters

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: James Cook University, Macquarie University

Funder: No funding was received for this work.

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