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DNA-based species identification of shark finning seizures in Southwest Atlantic: implications for wildlife trade surveillance and law enforcement

Authors :
Bruno Lopes da Silva Ferrette
Claudio Oliveira
Carolina de Oliveira Magalhães
Fausto Foresti
Alberto Ferreira de Amorim
Rodrigo Rodrigues Domingues
Fernando Fernandes Mendonça
Luis Henrique Fregadolli Ussami
Alexandre Wagner Silva Hilsdorf
Letícia Moraes
Universidade Santa Cecília (UNISANTA)
Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes
Fisheries Institute (IP)
Source :
Scopus, Repositório Institucional da UNESP, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), instacron:UNESP
Publication Year :
2019
Publisher :
Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2019.

Abstract

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T01:44:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-12-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Sharks developed life history traits that make them susceptible to overfishing. This is, in turn, a risk for extinction, and several species are affected. The high price of shark fins in the international trade has triggered the widespread capture of sharks at unsustainable levels, prompting illegal and unethical practices, such as finning. To address these concerns, the present study aimed to identify species composition using molecular techniques based on DNA barcoding and DNA polymorphism on samples taken from illegal shark fin seizures conducted by the Federal Environmental Agency of Brazil. A species-specific DNA-based identification from three finning seizures in Brazil found at least 20 species from 747 shark fins, some of which were identified as endangered and protected under Brazilian legislation, while others were representative of restricted catches, according to Appendix II of CITES. In the seizure from Belém, 338 fins were identified as belonging to at least 19 different species, while in the seizure from Natal 211, fins belonging to at least 8 different species were identified. Furthermore, 198 fins from Cananéia were identified through PCR-Multiplex as belonging to Isurus oxyrinchus. These results raise concerns about the environmental and socioeconomic effects of finning on developing countries. Furthermore, this study represents the first finning evaluation from Brazil in the Southwest Atlantic, highlighting the importance of developing policies aimed toward restricting and regulating the shark trade and detecting IUU fisheries and illegal trade of endangered species, mainly in developing countries, where fisheries management, surveillance, and species-specific fisheries catch data are often sporatic. Laboratório de Genética e Conservação Universidade Santa Cecília (UNISANTA), 277 Oswaldo Cruz Street Laboratório de Genética Pesqueira e Conservação (GenPesC) Instituto do Mar (IMar) Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), 144 Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça Street Laboratório de Biologia e Genética de Peixes (LBGP) Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu (IBB) Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), 250 Prof. Dr. Antonio Celso Wagner Zanin Street Núcleo Integrado de Biotecnologia Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes, 200 Dr. Cândido Xavier de Almeida e Souza Avenue Fisheries Institute (IP), 192 Bartolomeu de Gusmão Avenue Laboratório de Biologia e Genética de Peixes (LBGP) Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu (IBB) Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), 250 Prof. Dr. Antonio Celso Wagner Zanin Street FAPESP: 2009/54660-6 FAPESP: 2011/23787-0 FAPESP: 2017/02420-8

Details

ISSN :
15729710 and 09603115
Volume :
28
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Biodiversity and Conservation
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....fb57dfe6d69d4c74c868b2463bca455a
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-019-01862-0