Shark Finning Ban from 1 October 2014
Shark Finning Ban
From 1 October 2014, it is illegal to remove the fins from a shark and discard the body of the shark at sea.
The Fisheries (Commercial Fishing) Regulations 2001 require that any shark fins landed must be naturally attached to the body of the shark (see factsheet 2).
The Regulations provide exceptions to the ‘fins attached’ requirement for eight species of shark. These exceptions take two forms, the first is for blue shark and it allows the fins to be removed from the body but requires that the fins be attached to the body after processing (before landing). The second exception is for seven other QMS species, for which the fins may be landed separately but in accordance with a gazetted ratio (see factsheet 3).
| Approach | Species |
|---|---|
| Ratio | Elephantfish (ELE) Ghost Shark (GSH) Mako Shark (MAK) Pale Ghost Shark (GSP) Porbeagle Shark (POS) Rig (SPO) School Shark (SCH) |
| Fins artificially attached | Blue Shark (BWS) |
| Fins naturally attached | Spiny Dogfish (SPD) All Non-QMS Species |
More information:
- Factsheet 1 – Conservation and management of New Zealand sharks
- Factsheet 2 – Landing sharks with fins attached
- Factsheet 3 – Landing shark fins subject to a ratio
- Factsheet 4 – Requirements for returning sharks to the sea (Schedule 6)
- Shark Fin to Greenweight Ratios
A copy of the regulation amendments are available from the government legislation website by clicking on the links below: