Shark Finning Debates in Galicia: Policy, Trade, and Community Impacts

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Since 2013, Brussels has restricted any form of finning, banning the practice of catching sharks in open waters and cutting off their fins while leaving the bodies behind. The rule primarily targets the regional fleet, which today must land its catch intact and can even be disassembled to streamline distribution. The policy emerged as a safeguard for species such as the blue shark, a critical source of income for hundreds of Galician families. The aim is to curb finning, a practice where sharks are hunted, fins removed, and the remaining carcass discarded at sea.

For a decade now, this rule has shaped the Galician fishing economy, yet questions arose when a campaign titled Stop the Money, Stop the Trade gained traction in the European Parliament Petitions Committee. The campaign faced pushback from industry actors who argued that the measure would threaten fishing autonomy across twenty-seven member states. With most blue sharks caught by European fleets routed through Vigo and then distributed based on demand to different regions, the stakes are high for local communities.

According to Edelmiro Ulloa, general manager of ARVI, the market structure appears misaligned with the policy. He contends that the only fleet actively enforcing a layered wing policy toward third countries is the community fleet, and notes that the EC had promised this standard would extend to all Regional Fisheries Management Organizations. The promise, he says, was not fully fulfilled, and the task cannot be left idle.

The current pattern sees Asian vessels transferring shark fins at high seas to merchant ships that bypass the EU market entirely, sending fins toward the eastern continents. The Stop Palletizing, Stop Trading initiative targets the Galician longline sector, which local observers describe as a misfit measure that would hurt fishermen while maintaining fair wages. Reports cited by Faro de Vigo from the Prensa Ibérica group suggest that a veto against this decision in Europe could perpetuate losses in food sovereignty and worsen the economic impact for coastal communities.

Evidence shows that the vessels tied to the Vigo Port Shipowners’ Cooperative contribute the vast majority of blue shark catches in Galicia, reaching about 95 percent. The sales value from these catches accounts for roughly 65 percent of the total market value, Ulloa explains. The policy debate highlights the tension between exporting the body with the fin for legal trade and sending the fin onward to destinations like China, where demand remains robust while bodies are distributed more broadly with proper certification.

pride and unity

In the Stop Financing, Stop Trading campaign, Galician longline representatives such as Juana Parada, managing director of Orpagu, question why the market should move as a whole rather than in parts. They argue that if demand cannot be contained, it will find ways to persist through less sustainable products. The industry has shown resilience and adaptation in recent years, even as some heavy investments in ground infrastructure were affected by the palletized processing rule introduced in 2013, a move that dramatically altered on-board processing capabilities for blue sharks.

Enhanced control measures, including the establishment of numerous voluntary electronic observers, have changed how the fleet operates. The director overseeing the long guard emphasizes that compliance with the regulation for years must be respected, and the finning argument should not be used to justify disproportionate measures. The focus remains on safeguarding sustainable practices while allowing the fleet to adapt to regulatory requirements.

Parada adds that Vigo should be celebrated for its role as a major port involved in the acceptance of such products, noting the European Union Fisheries Agency EFCA is headquartered there and can exert strong oversight from this hub. Juan Carlos Martín, managing director at Opromar, points to scientific data that support the good condition of the blue shark thanks to the Galician longline. This approach, he argues, demonstrates a commitment to conservation while still enabling the fishery to operate.

For the Ría de Marín Fresh Fish Producers Organization, the central issue remains focusing attention on countries that fail to meet finning obligations. The goal is not to blame those who have carried out their duties but to insist that the tied-fin policy be extended to all nations involved in the sea areas where the Galician fleet fishes. Asian countries, in this account, have resisted measures that would protect prey and ensure sustainable trade.

Martin, head of Opromar, expresses doubt about any imminent pallet ban but acknowledges that such a move would trigger a fundamental restructuring of the industry. He argues that the sector needs a unified approach that balances conservation with practical economic realities, even if it means phasing out certain practices tied to pelagic species like the swordfish in addition to blue sharks.

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