Shark fin ban masks growing appetite for its meat

Shark fishing remains profitable as narrow focus on Chinese finning trade obscures wider global trend

The internet erupted with praise last month when United Parcel Service tweeted that it would stop shipping shark fins. But the decision - after a petition to the delivery giant garnered 178,000 signatures - addressed just one of many concerns about the ecologically vital but often threatened marine species.

"There is a persistent belief among many well-intentioned folks that the only threat that sharks have ever faced, or are currently facing, is shark finning," said David Shiffman, a well-known shark scientist at the University of Miami. He argues that the focus on fins distracts attention from more important conservation actions.

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