Mako Shark
(Isurus spp.)
The Mako Shark is highly sought for its tender meat, and especially in Asian markets, for their shark fins which have even greater value for medicinal purposes. Some of the species are merely stripped of their prized fins by the international fishing fleets and then are thrown back into the depths, left to die.
Fins are now among the world's most expensive fisheries products. Values vary according to color, size, and thickness of fins. In Hong Kong, shark fin soup can fetch almost US$100 for a single serving, and wholesale pricing for fins can range from a low of US$40 to more than US$550 per kilo. As with most shark species, Mako Sharks are particularly susceptible to overfishing because they have long life cycles, resulting in the species being fished twice as fast as they are able to produce. Mako Sharks mature in seven to twelve years and only then produce small litters of baby sharks in their lifetime.
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