EU shark fin exports drop 15% as Brussels weighs ban
European shark fin exports fell 15% last year following stricter global wildlife trade rules, and the market faces further disruption as the EU considers banning detached fin imports.
The European Union's shark fin export business contracted by 15% between 2024 and 2025, according to Eurostat data. This decline follows the tightening of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which imposed stricter inspection and traceability requirements on producers.
Despite the recent drop, the trade remains a highly lucrative commercial activity for European fishing fleets. EU member states exported nearly 3,000 tonnes of shark fins last year, a volume valued at around €45 billion. Spain overwhelmingly dominates this sector, having exported at least 52,000 tonnes of fins outside the bloc between 2003 and 2020, according to a study by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Other European nations play a minor role in the supply chain. Portugal, the Netherlands, France, and Italy are the only other notable EU exporters, though their combined volumes fall far short of Spain's output. Almost all EU shark fin exports consist of frozen blue sharks, which represent 97% of the total, while the remaining 3% are shortfin mako sharks.
The European market is heavily reliant on Asian buyers to absorb these volumes. Mainland China and Singapore each purchase roughly 40% of the bloc's total exports. Hong Kong accounts for 13% of the market, Japan takes 2.5%, and Vietnam buys 1%.
This geographic concentration means European exporters are highly vulnerable to demand shifts or regulatory changes abroad. The recent export contraction highlights the tangible financial impact of global conservation measures on European businesses. CITES recently expanded its list of protected species to include 60 additional types of sharks, increasing the compliance burden for fisheries.
However, blue sharks—the primary species targeted by European vessels—were excluded from this specific protection. The industry still operates within a complex domestic regulatory framework. While the cruel practice of finning is already illegal in EU waters, the bloc still permits the processing and export of detached fins.
Under the EU's "Fins Naturally Attached" policy, sharks must be brought to shore with their fins intact to prevent the live dumping of carcasses. Now, Brussels is evaluating whether to implement a ban on imports of detached shark fins. The EU only imports around 20 tonnes of fins annually, worth €0.3 million, but a policy shift would carry significant weight.
For Spain and other exporting nations, any new restrictions in Brussels raise the prospect of tighter domestic controls on a major trade. The combination of increased global trade friction and potential local bans threatens the future of Europe's shark fin supply chain.
