In Brazil, shark meat is on the menu at public schools
by editors@theworld.org (Jenna Gadbois) from The World: Latest Stories on (#6Z01V)
In recent years, Brazil has become the world's top consumer of shark meat. That's because of a law that requires fishermen who catch sharks to bring the entire animal to port - not just the fins, like they used to. The government has been buying the extra shark meat and serving it in schools and at hospitals nationwide. And that's a problem, because shark meat contains high levels of mercury, a potent neurotoxin. Mongabay reporter Karla Mendes has been investigating this, and tells Host Marco Werman how shark ended up on the menu - and what some people are doing to have it removed.