Sharks Deserve Better: What I Have Seen Underwater & at a Market in Peru

Making friends with nurse sharks while snorkeling in a seagrass meadow in Belize, sharks are the key to a healthy ocean!

I have been in the water with many different species of sharks around the world.

I’ve floated beside nurse sharks swimming in the seagrass meadows and hanging in the coral reef, been circled by beautiful thresher sharks with a tail double the size of their body, seen blue sharks flash silver in the water off the coast of Rhode Island, watched hammerheads carve through the current in the Gulf of Mexico, spotted oceanic whitetips from the boat in the deep blue, and watched bonnetheads cruise shallow seagrass in the Tampa Bay.

Every experience felt grounding, uplifting to see them in their environment, and ancient but then I saw sharks differently.

Shark Alley

Peru’s nutrient-rich waters, driven by the Humboldt Current flowing north from Antarctica, create one of the most productive marine ecosystems on Earth. This cold upwelling system has historically supported high abundance and diversity of sharks along the Peruvian coastline, earning it the name Shark Alley.

Over 68 species of sharks inhabit Peruvian waters. Many are near threatened, endangered, or data deficient.

And yet, many locals I spoke with are unaware that sharks even lived in Peru.

Table of sharks at Terminal Pesquero Villa Maria del Truinfo, Peru

At 3:15 a.m., my alarm went off.

I was an intern with ORCA Peru, and we were going to the Terminal Pesquero market to buy squid for our South American fur seal patient. Once we got there around 4:30 a.m., the market was already alive — octopus, giant squid, mahi-mahi, fish layered in silver stacks.

And sharks. Stacked in buckets, spilling onto the concrete floor, and laid out without heads or fins. They were being sold for 5 soles per kilo (about $0.61 per pound or $1.34 USD per kilo).

We were fairly certain two species present were the blue shark and the shortfin mako — both listed under Appendix II of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

In 2016, The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) banned shark finning in Peru.

The law states that whenever a shark is caught that the whole animal must be presented for identification and to determine whether or not it is a CITES-listed species (1). Many sharks that inhabit the Peruvian waters are listed under CITES Appendix II, including the hammerhead shark, blue shark, and shortfin mako shark, meaning they are close to becoming threatened with a greater risk of extinction and trade is supposed to be strictly controlled to avoid worsening their conservation status (2).

When heads and fins are removed, species identification becomes difficult. Enforcement becomes complicated. Sharks become anonymous.

The market is open every day.

Buckets of sharks without heads and fins near Lima, Peru

Why Sharks Matter

Sharks are apex predators.

They regulate prey populations, remove weak and diseased individuals, and maintain balance in marine food webs.

When sharks decline, trophic cascades follow. Prey populations can increase unchecked, ecosystems destabilize, fisheries suffer, and disease spreads more easily.

Because sharks sit at the top of the food web, they are sentinels of ocean health. Without sharks, the ocean shifts.

Buckets of sharks without heads and an overflowing bucket of Mahi-mahi, Lima Fish Market

The Contrast

I have seen sharks alive in the ocean — curious, powerful, and essential but I have also seen them reduced to market buckets before sunrise.

Same animals but different outcomes.

The disconnect between ecological importance and public awareness is rooted in our society but we have to remember that shark conservation isn’t about fear. It's about balance, ocean health, and awareness.

What You Can Do

Shark conservation can feel distant but global seafood systems connect us all.

• Ask where your seafood comes from and how it was caught.

• Never purchase shark fins or shark-derived products.

• Support conservation groups working to improve shark protections.

• Share accurate, science-based information.

• Spread awareness and help shift the narrative from fear to key to healthy ocean

• Sign petitions that promote shark conservation: https://oceana.org/standforsharks

Sharks are necessary for a healthy ocean ecosystem and awareness and education on the issue of illegal shark hunting and finning in Peru is crucial for the survival of these species, as well as for the health of the ocean and all life on Earth.

Awareness brings protection and protection leads to a healthier ocean. Shark conservation in Peru depends on awareness, informed choices, and global action. Together we can help protect these vital apex predators and the health of our ocean!

References:

1. SC77 Doc.

2. CITES Appendices I, II and III valid from 14.02.2021