‘Like selling wolves from Yellowstone’: how protected US sharks are being sold off to foreign aquariums
Protected sand tiger sharks from US waters are being caught and sold to international aquariums due to a regulatory loophole. While conservation efforts have helped the species recover in Delaware Bay, private firms are profiting by exporting these animals to foreign markets.
Why it matters
This highlights a significant conflict between local conservation success and global commercial exploitation, raising questions about international wildlife protection laws.
A marine researcher measures a male sand tiger shark in Delaware Bay, which has become a hotspot for the collection of sharks for the aquarium trade. A marine researcher measures a male sand tiger shark in Delaware Bay, which has become a hotspot for the collection of sharks for the aquarium trade. Seascape: the state of our oceans Oceans ‘Like selling wolves from Yellowstone’: how protected US sharks are being sold off to foreign aquariums While anglers cannot take endangered sand tiger sharks, a loophole lets private firms catch the fish to sell abroad, profiting from Delaware Bay’s conservation success
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