A recent study has revealed that the majority of shark meat available to American shoppers is mislabeled, with much of it coming from endangered species.
The research, conducted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, tested products from supermarkets, fish markets and online retailers. Astonishingly, 93% of the samples were either falsely labeled or so vaguely described that buyers had no way of knowing the species they were eating. Only one item carried an accurate, species-specific label.
“The purpose of this study was to quantify the identity of ‘shark’ meat sold in the United States,” Savannah Ryburn, a marine ecologist who headed the study, told the Guardian.
“We purchased and DNA barcoded 29 shark meat products from grocery stores, seafood markets, and online vendors in the United States to determine their species identity.”
Shark meat Photograph: Courtesy of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DNA analysis revealed meat from 11 different shark species, including the great hammerhead and scalloped hammerhead, both classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Despite their fragile status, these species were found in American markets for as little as $2.99 per lb.
The study, now published in Frontiers in Marine Science, reported that 27 of the 29 tested samples were marketed only as “shark” or “mako shark”. Of the two products with species names, one turned out to be misidentified.
Ryburn, who also co-teaches a seafood forensics course that produced the research, emphasized the impact of misleading labels: “Mislabeling and ambiguous labeling remove consumers’ ability to choose what they are putting in their bodies.”
“For example, two species in our study, scalloped hammerhead and great hammerhead, were ambiguously labeled as ‘shark’, even though they are strongly advised against consumption due to their very high contaminant levels,” she said.
“Without accurate and precise labeling, consumers cannot avoid purchasing these products.”
The findings also highlight health concerns, as shark meat is known to contain large concentrations of mercury, which can be especially dangerous for children and pregnant women.
“Shark meat contains high levels of mercury, illustrating the implications of seafood mislabeling for human health,” Ryburn said. “The availability of shark meat in US grocery stores is surprising given the dramatic decline of shark populations globally.”
The number of sharks in the ocean has declined by over 70% since 1970, with an increasing demand for shark meat being a key factor in the decline. Shark populations are overfished throughout the world, with another contributor being the use of shark products in everyday items such as pet food and cosmetics.
