First Criminal Charges for Shark Finning in Costa Rica

Shark finning is a serious problem in Costa Rica, involving organized crime and the Taiwanese Mafia. The high value of shark-fin soup as a delicacy in restaurants within Asian countries, where a bowl can cost $100 USD, led to Costa Rica becoming a significant contributor to the international shark-fin market by the 1990s.

Costa Rica has since become a leading example in conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. In recent years, the Costa Rican government has been involved in initiatives to manage shark populations more responsibly and, most notably, banned shark finning in 2012. The government has also joined efforts with other countries to include hammerhead sharks in Appendix II of CITES and Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). 

Shark finning arrest in Costa Rica 

A Puntarenas court heard the recent case of illegal shark finning against Taiwanese businesswoman Tsung (surname), and subsequently sentenced her to a 6-month prison sentence. Her haul of shark fins was destined for sale abroad when authorities found her fishing boat, the Wan Jia Men 88, in October 2011 with 151 finned sharks on board. The case was initially acquitted in 2014, was appealed and then finished with a guilty verdict.

Despite this positive development, there is still lots of work to do in Costa Rica when it comes to protecting sharks. The Representative Council of Scientific Authorities (CRAC-CITES) is currently considering a request to export a shipment of 1,500 pounds (690 kilos) of hammerhead shark fins from Costa Rica to Asia. Smalley Development S.A. submitted the request for export permit, which conservationists have roundly criticized. The decision to approve the export would have to be based on evidence that the removal of the animals would not negatively affect the hammerhead species population, as required by Costa Rica’s wildlife conservation law. There is currently no evidence to suggest hammerhead shark populations have recovered enough to justify renewed trade. 

This current issue threatens the country’s international image as a leader in conservation.

In stark contrast to this, the delivery of Tsung’s prison sentence is a clear message to those involved in the shark-fin trade that finning will not be tolerated in Costa Rican waters.

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