This guide is based on data collected by examining more than 500 dorsal fins and 900 pectoral fins from over 40 shark species, including all of the dominant species or species groups in the international fin trade reported in Clarke et al. (2006). Conspicuous fin markings were also assessed for pattern and consistency within species using photographs published in the scientific literature and on the Internet. Fin sets originated in the United States, Belize, Chile, South Africa, Fiji and New Zealand and included a wide size range for each species. Fins and fin sets examined in this study were provided by fishermen, fin traders and scientists; no sharks were sacrificed for this Project. Blog header photo (oceanic whitetip) was provided by David Fleetham/OceanwideImages.com, Doug Perrine/SeaPics.com (porbeagle) and Chris & Monique Fallows/OceanwideImages.com (scalloped hammerhead). We would like to thank the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, the New Zealand Department of Conservation, the Fiji Department of Fisheries, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Belize Department of Fisheries for assisstance.
This work was supported by the Pew Environment Group and the Roe Foundation and compiled by Debra L. Abercrombie, Abercromibie & Fish, and Demian D. Chapman, Ph.D., School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY (USA).
