‘Fins Naturally Attached’, the globally acknowledged best practice to prevent Finning – a review of the state of play and the effectiveness of alternatives.

After the amphibians, chondrichthyans are the most threatened vertebrate Class assessed to date. (IPBES 2019). The lucrative shark fin trade remains a main driver for overexploitation of sharks (Clarke et al. 2006). Oceanic shark species have been particularly affected due to the high value of their fins and their low reproduction rates, so that 52% of oceanic shark species are now classified as endangered or critically endangered by the IUCN (Pacoureau et al. 2021). In light of these threats numerous jurisdictions have banned finning, but the implemented methods vary substantially in their effectiveness. A report published in 2021 “Analysis of the Marine Stewardship Council’s policy on shark finning and the opportunity for adoption of a ‘Fins Naturally Attached’ policy in the MSC Fisheries Standard Review” analyses the effectiveness of various fisheries management measures in enacting shark finning bans including FNA, fin-to-carcass ratios, and fins artificially attached - finding that approaches other than FNA all contain substantial inadequacies and loopholes that complicate monitoring and enforcement. It is also noted that FNA without exception has now been adopted by multiple organizations and states including the European Union, the United States, Canada, NAFO, and GFCM, and is no longer just a feasible ‘best practice’ but increasingly a minimum requirement for sustainable fisheries management. Subsequently the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) itself introduced an FNA policy in the latest version 3.0 of its Standard. The report concludes that Fins Naturally Attached (FNA) policy accompanied by adequate monitoring is well-established as the only effective method to enforce a shark finning ban and demonstrates that none of the common counter arguments represent impediments to implementation of such a policy. Alongside catch limits, retention bans, and bycatch reduction measures, eliminating finning by enacting FNA policy is essential to prevent the extinction of many shark species and the destabilising impact this will have on marine ecosystems.