‘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
TL;DR
- Sand tiger sharks, a critically endangered species globally, are being collected from Delaware Bay for the international aquarium trade.
- Since 2018, the number of sand tiger sharks collected from Delaware Bay for public display has risen sharply, with 80 sharks taken between 2018 and 2024.
- Most collected sharks are sent overseas, primarily to China and the United Arab Emirates.
- Scientists question the sustainability of these collections, citing the sharks' low reproductive rates and the lack of population data.
- Private companies argue their collections are compliant with federal and state permits and contribute to marine education and conservation efforts.
- A regulatory loophole allows private companies to legally collect these protected sharks, while recreational anglers are prohibited from doing so.