In a groundbreaking study emerging from the University of Adelaide’s School of Biological Sciences in collaboration with the Wildlife Crime Research Hub, researchers have shed new light on the transnational dynamics of illegal shark product trafficking between Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. This investigation reveals a complex network of covert flows involving personal luggage and postal shipments, reflecting the multifaceted nature of shark product trade that transcends borders in the Pacific region. The study focuses on the nature, origin, and implications of these confiscations, unearthing patterns with significant conservation and biosecurity ramifications.
The research, recently published in Pacific Conservation Biology, highlights that shark products are frequently intercepted at border checkpoints, predominantly entering Australia and New Zealand via passenger baggage and mail. These products, intended for personal use, as trophies, or for commercial resale, encompass a range of items with fins being the most commonly seized commodity. Notably, trophy pieces such as preserved jaws and specimens tend to originate from the United States, illustrating the global reach of this shadowy trade. This discovery points to a diverse demand that spans culinary and collector markets, complicating enforcement and regulatory efforts.
Critical to understanding the scope of this trade is the observation that over one third of all chondrichthyan species—encompassing sharks and shark-like rays—are currently facing extinction threats, exacerbated by rampant overfishing. Josephine Lingard, PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide, emphasizes that shark fins remain a highly coveted element, especially within the context of shark fin soup, a dish of considerable cultural and economic value in Southeast Asia. However, the study also documents a nuanced trend: while the global trade in shark meat has surged since the early 2000s, the trade of legally harvested shark fins—those removed from sharks brought to land with fins intact—has been on a decline. This decline may reflect evolving regulations and consumer awareness, yet illicit trade clearly persists and thrives through underground channels.
Asia emerges as the primary source region for shark products entering Aotearoa/New Zealand, closely followed by Oceania, with Australia itself identified as the dominant country of origin in seizures made from both incoming passengers and postal parcels. This finding challenges preconceived notions about illicit trade routes, as Australia was not expected to be a major contributing location for shipments to New Zealand. Lingard speculates that New Zealand’s position as an international travel hub with numerous flight connections may partly explain this phenomenon, although it also suggests that Australia may be a site of processing or redistribution for shark products acquired from other regions. The precise nature of Australia’s role in these flows remains an open question meriting further investigation.
Delving into the seizure data, Lingard’s research utilized customs and border enforcement records from both Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand, analyzing temporal patterns and product differentiation. The researchers sought to identify country-specific distinctions in the types of shark products trafficked, but these efforts were hampered by significant data limitations. Notably, less than one percent of all intercepted shipments contained reliable species-specific information. This glaring deficiency obscures the true impact of the illicit trade on endangered species, undermining conservation priorities and enforcement strategies.
Among the scant species-level identifications documented, fourteen of the eighteen species were listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), underscoring the high conservation stakes implicated. The absence of detailed species data is largely attributable to the generalized nature of customs classification systems, which typically employ harmonized codes grouping shark products without regard to species. This systemic data gap impedes efforts to monitor and manage shark populations effectively, especially those already vulnerable or endangered. The study calls for enhanced capacity building in identification techniques, including genetic barcoding or other forensic tools to be implemented in routine customs operations.
A key recommendation from the research advocates for intensified efforts to collect accurate and comprehensive species information at the point of seizure. With improved data granularity, researchers and policymakers can better discern trade patterns, identify illegal harvesting hotspots, and target enforcement interventions more strategically. Such measures are critical for disentangling the complexities of illicit wildlife trade and for designing policies that protect threatened shark populations. Empowering border agencies with appropriate training and technological support could revolutionize conservation enforcement in the marine wildlife sector.
This study also raises broader ecological and ethical questions about the sustainability of shark fisheries globally. The illicit trade in fins, meat, and trophy products not only threatens biodiversity but also jeopardizes the integrity of marine ecosystems where sharks play pivotal roles as apex predators. Overexploitation driven by international demand disrupts ecological balance, leading to cascading effects on fishery productivity and ocean health. By exposing these transregional trade flows, the research underscores the urgency of coordinated, multinational conservation frameworks and stricter regulatory oversight.
Moreover, the findings illustrate the intersection of wildlife trade with international human mobility, whereby global travel and postal networks facilitate the covert movement of restricted materials. This interplay complicates enforcement, requiring multifaceted approaches that combine customs vigilance, intelligence sharing, and public awareness campaigns. The involvement of personal luggage as a trafficking vector highlights the need for targeted education initiatives to curb demand and discourage the illicit substitution of shark products for legitimate souvenirs or personal collections.
Beyond immediate enforcement implications, the research emphasizes the importance of collaborative academic and policy initiatives to address emerging conservation challenges. The impending merger of the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia to form Adelaide University in 2026 positions the region at the forefront of marine biological sciences and conservation policy development. This institutional evolution promises to strengthen research capacities and foster interdisciplinary approaches to tackling the illegal wildlife trade, among other pressing ecological issues.
In conclusion, Josephine Lingard and her colleagues provide an insightful and urgent analysis of shark product trafficking patterns within the Australia-New Zealand corridor. Their work not only exposes troubling loopholes in international wildlife trade enforcement but also advocates for innovative, data-driven solutions to safeguard increasingly endangered shark species. As shark populations continue to dwindle amidst growing demand, this study marks a pivotal contribution to global efforts aimed at preserving marine biodiversity and curbing illicit exploitation.
Subject of Research: Illegal trade and border seizures of shark products between Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand, with implications for conservation and wildlife trade enforcement policies.
Article Title: Patterns and Origins of Shark Product Trafficking into Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand
Web References:
References:
Lingard, J. et al. (2023). Pacific Conservation Biology. DOI: 10.1071/PC25006
Image Credits: Josephine Lingard
Keywords: Biosecurity, Conservation policies, Illegal wildlife trade, Shark fin trade, Chondrichthyan species, Marine biodiversity, Customs enforcement, International trade, Species identification
