Global food markets further threaten endangered sharks, rays
Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Researchers at the University of Guelph found that the majority of shark fins and manta ray gills sold at markets around the world for traditional medicines come from endangered species.Roughly half of the world's 1,200 species of sharks and manta rays are listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature including 20 that may not be traded internationally.The study, published today in Scientific Reports, used DNA barcoding technology and found 71 percent of dried fins and gills collected from markets and stores came from species listed as at-risk and banned from international trade. Shark finning, which is removing fins from live sharks, is illegal in Canada."Despite the controversy around shark fin soup and the fact that many of these species are...
