Permitted collections take sand tiger sharks from Delaware Bay to aquariums

The story in brief

What you need to know

• Private collecting companies began operating in Delaware Bay around 2018 under NOAA experimental fishing permits and state scientific collection permits, according to the study. Delaware’s natural resources department also describes a limited number of sharks being taken annually for aquarium display and education under permit.23
• The paper gives two totals with different time periods: 80 sharks across 2018–2024, and 76 across 2021–2024. The figures should be read alongside their stated periods; the latter is not the total for the full seven-year span.2
• For 2021–2024, the paper lists aquarium destinations including China, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea and Thailand. The supplied reporting describes most of the collected sharks as going abroad.21
• A permit to collect is not evidence that every authorised shark was caught. The study says permit totals do not establish actual removals, and reporting on the fate of collected sharks is incomplete, including information needed to assess subsequent survival and mortality.2
• The study’s authors argue for a precautionary approach because the population effect is unknown. They also discuss fishery interactions and post-release mortality as potential concerns, and note that aquarium collection may not be the species’ most important threat. The sources do not establish a measured population decline caused by these collections.21

Conservation context

Why this matters

Delaware Bay is an important seasonal area for sand tiger sharks, and the species is Critically Endangered globally. The lack of a quantified effect means the conservation implications of removing sharks from this area remain unresolved, rather than demonstrating that collections have caused a decline.352

The developing story

What happens next

Key outstanding questions are how many permitted sharks were actually captured, what happened to them afterwards, and what effect removals have on the Northwest Atlantic population. The study also raises the question of how NOAA, Delaware’s natural resources department, collecting companies and receiving aquariums respond to its concerns and recommendations.2

Established evidence

What we know

• The paper reports 80 permitted collections from Delaware waters for aquarium display during 2018–2024.2
• NOAA lists sand tiger sharks among Atlantic shark species that recreational fishers must release; Delaware’s guidance also says ordinary fishing harvest is not permitted.43
• The IUCN Red List classifies the sand tiger shark as Critically Endangered globally.5

Open questions

What we don't know

• The available permit totals do not show how many sharks were actually caught, or provide complete information on their subsequent survival and mortality.2
• The population-level effect, if any, of removals from Delaware Bay on the Northwest Atlantic population has not been established.2
• The supplied research does not include responses from NOAA, Delaware’s natural resources department, collecting companies or receiving aquariums to the study’s concerns and recommendations.2

Source coverage

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