Disgusting: 30 Finned Sharks Wash up on NZ Beach

Absolutely disgusting.

In December a New Zealand Department of Conservation ranger came across a gruesome find in the Marlborough Sounds: the bloodied carcasses of 30 sand sharks whose fins had been cut off by commercial fishermen and the bodies thrown back into the sea – some while still alive.

Commercial fishermen said they believed the incident was isolated, but anecdotal evidence suggests that 'finning' of live sharks is not uncommon in New Zealand waters.

It is difficult to know for sure - what we do know is that finning of dead sharks is fairly common practice in New Zealand waters, where it is permitted by law.

While finning of dead sharks avoids the slow, painful deaths of sharks that are finned alive, the practice still threatens the sustainability of shark populations.