Exports of shark fins from the European Union to countries outside the bloc fell significantly in 2025, signaling a cooling market after a brief surge the previous year and amid
tighter global wildlife trade regulations.
According to the latest trade data, the EU exported 2.7 thousand tonnes of shark fins worth €44.8 million in 2025. This represents a 15.2% decline in volume compared with 2024 (3.1 thousand tonnes) and a sharper 31.3% drop in value from €65.3 million.
Market correction after a record 2024 spike
The downturn follows an unusual rebound in 2024, when exports more than doubled in volume and rose 91% in value compared with 2023. That year marked a peak in both trade flow and pricing, temporarily reversing a four-year decline that had bottomed out in 2023 at 1.5 thousand tonnes.
Analysts link earlier fluctuations to pandemic-related disruptions, which reduced both supply capacity in Europe and demand in Asia. Key markets, including China, only fully reopened their economies after lifting COVID-19 restrictions in late 2022.
Regulatory pressure intensifies after CITES update
A major structural shift in the trade came after the 2023 update to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which added 60 shark species to Appendix II.
The change significantly tightened documentation requirements and increased scrutiny on international shipments, affecting exporters across the EU. The reform has been widely seen as a turning point in global shark product regulation.
Trade increasingly concentrated in frozen fins
In 2025, frozen shark fins dominated EU exports, accounting for nearly 90% of total value (€40.3 million). Products that were smoked, dried, salted, or in brine represented most of the remainder, while fresh and prepared fins remained marginal.
Species breakdown shows an overwhelming reliance on two sharks:
- blue shark accounted for 97.2% of frozen fin exports
- shortfin mako shark made up the remaining share
For processed (non-frozen) fins, blue shark again dominated supply chains at 81.7%, with shortfin mako contributing 18.2%.
Singapore overtakes China as leading destination
EU shark fin exports remain heavily concentrated in Asia. In 2025, Singapore emerged as the largest destination, accounting for 41.5% of total exports, narrowly surpassing China at 40.9%.
Other destinations included Hong Kong (12.8%), Japan (2.5%), and Vietnam (1.1%).
Singapore’s rise to the top position in 2024 has continued into 2025, reflecting shifting trade routes within Asia’s seafood and specialty products market.
Imports remain minimal but continue to decline
While the EU remains a net exporter of shark fins, imports are relatively small and have been declining. In 2025, the bloc imported just 20.2 tonnes worth €0.3 million, down from 66.9 tonnes worth €1.2 million in 2023.
World Oceans Day context
The latest figures coincide with World Oceans Day on June 8, underscoring ongoing debates about sustainable marine trade, biodiversity protection, and the role of international regulation in managing shark populations.
The 2025 decline may reflect a normalization of trade flows following the 2024 spike, combined with stronger enforcement and evolving global conservation standards. Photo by Elias Levy, Wikimedia commons.