254
years (from 452,367 kg in 2000 to 1,425,792 kg in 2010). This state reported that
more than 2300 tons of elasmobranchs were landed in 2010, whereas over 85%
were not identified at species level (UNIVALI/CTTMar 2011). This broad identification levels of landed species makes species-specific regulation very difficult
(Bornatowski et al. 2011, 2014), precluding fishing controls. Major concerns however lie in the categorization of ray’s species. In Brazilian fisheries some ray species
are grouped under a category called “emplastro”. Within this label there are at least
seven species: bignose banskate (Sympterygia acuta, endemic); smallnose fanskate
(S. bonapartii, endemic), rio skate (Rioraja agassizi, endemic); spotback skate
(Atlantoraja castelnaui, endemic); la plata skate (A. platana, endemic); eyespot
skate (A. cyclophora); and the bluntnose stingray (Dasyatis say). Today, the demand
of ray meat (“emplastro” group) for the Korean markets is so great that was one of
the critical steps to invalidate the Normative Instruction-445 (Brazil 2014), which
the main goal was to regulate the use of seafood products.
10.3 The Problem of Mislabeling
Commercial fisheries struggle to apply regulatory and legal mechanisms that depend
on reliable species-specific data, and the shark industry faces an even greater obstacle to transparency with sellers changing product names to overcome consumer
resistance. Fraudulent representation or mislabeling of fish, including sharks and
rays, has been recorded in some countries (e.g. Barbuto et al. 2010; Jacquet and
Pauly 2008; Lamendin et al. 2015; Smith and Benson 2001; Wong and Hanner
2008), highlighting the impacts on the economy and ecosystem services (Jacquet
and Pauly 2008). The European Union, on the other hand, requires listing the species name on shark products (see Fig. 10.1) to avoid fraud and to aid conservation
(Council Regulation No. 104/2000 – December/1999). With these measures rates of
seafood fraud appear to have decreased from 2011 to 2015 (Oceana 2016).
While many developing countries depend of fish meat (including shark and ray
meat) for their subsistence, many other countries view shark meat as low-quality
and therefore commercialize them under generic names to overcome consumer
resistance (Vannuccini 1999; Bornatowski et al. 2013, 2015; Dent and Clarke 2015).
This measure impedes consumers to link the meat they buy to the animals they
know. For instance, the spiny dogfish is sold under names like “saumonette” in
France, “schillerlocken” or “seeaal” in Germany, and “spinaroli” in Italy (WildAid
2007). Shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus), porbeagle (Lamna nasus) and thresher
sharks (Alopias spp.) are considered to have a highly palatable meat worldwide and
sometimes even comparable to swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in Europe and USA
(WildAid 2007). On the other hand, blue shark (one of the most important shark
species in fisheries) is considered one of the less preferred species for human consumption due to its soft and strong flavoured meat.
H. Bornatowski et al.
years (from 452,367 kg in 2000 to 1,425,792 kg in 2010). This state reported that
more than 2300 tons of elasmobranchs were landed in 2010, whereas over 85%
were not identified at species level (UNIVALI/CTTMar 2011). This broad identification levels of landed species makes species-specific regulation very difficult
(Bornatowski et al. 2011, 2014), precluding fishing controls. Major concerns however lie in the categorization of ray’s species. In Brazilian fisheries some ray species
are grouped under a category called “emplastro”. Within this label there are at least
seven species: bignose banskate (Sympterygia acuta, endemic); smallnose fanskate
(S. bonapartii, endemic), rio skate (Rioraja agassizi, endemic); spotback skate
(Atlantoraja castelnaui, endemic); la plata skate (A. platana, endemic); eyespot
skate (A. cyclophora); and the bluntnose stingray (Dasyatis say). Today, the demand
of ray meat (“emplastro” group) for the Korean markets is so great that was one of
the critical steps to invalidate the Normative Instruction-445 (Brazil 2014), which
the main goal was to regulate the use of seafood products.
10.3 The Problem of Mislabeling
Commercial fisheries struggle to apply regulatory and legal mechanisms that depend
on reliable species-specific data, and the shark industry faces an even greater obstacle to transparency with sellers changing product names to overcome consumer
resistance. Fraudulent representation or mislabeling of fish, including sharks and
rays, has been recorded in some countries (e.g. Barbuto et al. 2010; Jacquet and
Pauly 2008; Lamendin et al. 2015; Smith and Benson 2001; Wong and Hanner
2008), highlighting the impacts on the economy and ecosystem services (Jacquet
and Pauly 2008). The European Union, on the other hand, requires listing the species name on shark products (see Fig. 10.1) to avoid fraud and to aid conservation
(Council Regulation No. 104/2000 – December/1999). With these measures rates of
seafood fraud appear to have decreased from 2011 to 2015 (Oceana 2016).
While many developing countries depend of fish meat (including shark and ray
meat) for their subsistence, many other countries view shark meat as low-quality
and therefore commercialize them under generic names to overcome consumer
resistance (Vannuccini 1999; Bornatowski et al. 2013, 2015; Dent and Clarke 2015).
This measure impedes consumers to link the meat they buy to the animals they
know. For instance, the spiny dogfish is sold under names like “saumonette” in
France, “schillerlocken” or “seeaal” in Germany, and “spinaroli” in Italy (WildAid
2007). Shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus), porbeagle (Lamna nasus) and thresher
sharks (Alopias spp.) are considered to have a highly palatable meat worldwide and
sometimes even comparable to swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in Europe and USA
(WildAid 2007). On the other hand, blue shark (one of the most important shark
species in fisheries) is considered one of the less preferred species for human consumption due to its soft and strong flavoured meat.
H. Bornatowski et al.