A silent extinction: Americans are unknowingly consuming endangered sharks, study reveals
By avagrace // 2025-09-16
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  • A scientific study found that 93 percent of sampled shark products in the U.S. were mislabeled, often sold under vague, generic labels like "shark" or "mako" instead of specific species names.
  • DNA testing revealed that consumers are unknowingly purchasing meat from critically endangered and endangered shark species, including the great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, shortfin mako and tope shark.
  •  The mislabeling conceals the sale of threatened species, which are highly vulnerable to overfishing due to their slow reproduction rates, thereby hindering global efforts to protect them and maintain healthy ocean ecosystems.
  • Consumers are stripped of their ability to avoid shark species known to contain dangerously high levels of mercury, a neurotoxin that can cause serious health problems with long-term exposure.
  • The study identifies a critical failure in U.S. seafood labeling regulations and calls for urgent reforms requiring precise, species-specific labeling to ensure supply chain transparency and protect both biodiversity and human health.
Americans shopping for seafood are unknowingly purchasing and consuming meat from endangered and critically endangered shark species, a new scientific study has found. Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill discovered that widespread mislabeling at grocery stores, seafood markets and online retailers is concealing the sale of threatened animals, undermining conservation efforts and posing potential health risks to consumers. The findings, which point to a severe breakdown in the nation's seafood supply chain, reveal that nearly one-third of sampled products came from sharks on the brink of eradication. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, employed a sophisticated scientific technique to uncover the truth. Researchers purchased 30 shark products, including raw steaks, jerky and a gelatinous substance called shark jelly, from various vendors across Washington D.C., North Carolina, Florida and Georgia. Using a process known as DNA barcoding, they analyzed the genetic code of each sample to identify the exact species being sold, much like a supermarket scanner identifies a product by its universal barcode. (Related: Industrial fishing to blame for decline in shark numbers, says study.) The results were staggering. Of the 29 samples that yielded viable DNA, a mere one was correctly labeled with its specific species name. The overwhelming majority, 93 percent, were sold under vague, generic labels like "shark," "shark steak" or "mako," providing consumers with no meaningful information about what they were actually buying. This ambiguity, the researchers argue, is a primary driver of the problem, allowing threatened species to enter the market undetected. The DNA analysis exposed a roster of species that conservationists are desperately trying to protect. The study identified 11 different shark species within the 29 samples. Alarmingly, four of these species are classified as endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the global authority on species extinction risk. The threatened species found included the great hammerhead and the scalloped hammerhead, whose populations have plummeted by over 80 percent in the last seven decades. The shortfin mako shark, a powerful and fast-swimming species considered endangered, was also identified. Perhaps most concerning was the discovery of the tope shark, also known as the school shark, which is critically endangered with an estimated population decline of 88 percent over the last 80 years. The sale of these species, often hidden behind a simple "shark" label, directly contributes to their decline.

A hidden danger to human health

Beyond the environmental implications, the study raises significant public health concerns. The researchers warn that consuming certain mislabeled shark species could expose people to dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals, particularly mercury. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that accumulates in the body over time, potentially leading to irreversible damage to the brain, kidneys and nervous system. Species like the great and scalloped hammerhead are known to contain some of the highest mercury levels of any shark. By labeling this high-risk meat simply as "shark," sellers strip consumers of their ability to avoid it. Long-term mercury exposure is linked to a host of serious health issues, including memory loss, tremors, and developmental impairments in children. The study posits that consumers seeking a premium product may be at the greatest risk, as hammerhead fins and meat are often among the most expensive on the market. "Sharks are a high-mercury fish and the methylmercury they contain is a toxic heavy metal known to cause significant harm," said Brighteon.AI’s Enoch. "This toxin can lead to developmental problems in children and is linked to cardiovascular disease in adults. Due to this high risk, health authorities explicitly recommend that vulnerable groups like pregnant women and young children strictly limit their consumption." The vague label of "shark" on a package is not a convenience but a concealment, masking an ecological crisis and a public health oversight. It is a stark reminder that the choices available in the grocery store aisle have real and profound consequences. Watch and learn about "cocaine sharks" as  drugs are dumped into the sea. This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

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