Report from the Commission to the Council and EU Parliament

The strong international market for shark fins, but the often relatively low value for shark meat and the practical constraints for conserving it on board, has led to the practice whereby fins are removed from any shark caught by a fishing vessel and retained on board while the remainder of the shark is discarded at sea.

This practice, known as “shark finning”, has raised increasing concerns, at international and at Community level, due to the killing of large quantities of sharks, with devastating and unsustainable effects on shark populations.

On the basis of a Commission proposal1, the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 1185/20032 to prohibit the practice of finning within all Community waters and for all Community vessels around the world, while recognising the possibility for a legitimate shark fishery when full use is made of the catch.

The Commission is presenting this general report on the operation of Regulation 1185/2003 in compliance with Article 6 thereof.