Costa Rica faces scrutiny over silky shark trade

Costa Rica is under formal examination by the global wildlife trade convention CITES regarding its heavy commercialization of silky sharks. According to a United Nations Environment Programme report, the Central American nation generated roughly 82 percent of silky shark items directly traded worldwide from 2020 to 2024.

Silky sharks dwell across tropical waters around the globe, yet their numbers have dropped sharply, earning them a vulnerable listing on the IUCN Red List. These large marine predators are frequently captured in commercial fishing operations for their meat and fins, with fins predominantly supplied to markets in Asia. Research shows overfishing has driven substantial declines across hundreds of shark and ray species in recent decades.

Mounting conservation concerns Biologists note that silky sharks are particularly susceptible to overexploitation because they mature late, often taking ten to twelve years before they can reproduce. Conservation group CREMA reported that Costa Rica dispatched 734 metric tons of meat alongside 45 tons of fins from June 2023 through May 2024, representing at least 45,000 dead sharks.

Marine advocates argue that local catches disproportionately target juveniles, estimating that over four-fifths of silky sharks landed in Costa Rica have not reached reproductive maturity. Critics also allege harvest quotas lack rigorous scientific foundations and that substantial disparities exist between documented landings and export records. In addition, management of the fishery was shifted in 2017 to the national fishery institute rather than environmental regulators.

Potential export sanctions Under CITES Appendix II regulations, nations must demonstrate that commercial animal shipments will not compromise wild population survival. Officials from the treaty confirmed they are asking Costa Rica to supply verification that its fishery operates sustainably. If regulators conclude that proper safeguards are missing and recommendations go unaddressed, international authorities could ultimately halt the nation's outgoing silky shark shipments.