A recent report in the Gulf News sheds light on the major role that the UAE plays in the global shark fin trade. With exports of shark fins from the Gulf apparently rising at an alarming rate, the Emirates Wildlife Society-WWF is currently working to establish catch rates & export numbers, alongside gathering biodiversity estimates for the still extant shark species.
As those in marine conservation well know, it often a lack of basic baseline information that allows unsustainable practices to thrive for so long and as a consequence, we look forward to any new research that can help to illuminate the over exploitation of shark species in the Gulf.