Sharks targeted the most by the shark fin trade are in danger of extinction Based on reports of the highly respected International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the only international scientific body that assesses extinction risk for plant and animal species: 1/3 of all shark species are threatened with extinction. 80% of open ocean shark species frequently targeted in high seas fisheries are threatened or near threatened with extinction. All 14 species of shark most prevalent in the shark fin trade are Threatened or Near Threatened with extinction.
Shark populations have dramatically declined Hammerhead, Silky, Oceanic, Sandbar, Shortfin Mako, Bull and Tiger sharks, all predominant in the shark fin trade, have experienced population declines of 90-99% in several areas where they were naturally plentiful.