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A 2022 study found that 27 per cent of shark meat sold locally in supermarkets and grocers were protected species listed under CITES Appendix II, which require permits for trade. With updated listings since 2023, that figure has risen to 89 per cent.<\/span><\/p>\n “Even though the study was done in 2022, we expect the results to be similar (today),\u201d said researcher Golam Rabbani from the National University of Singapore\u2019s Wainwright Molecular Ecology Lab.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEven if we were to look at the different dried shark meat products now, most of these products don’t have a specific indication as to what species they are. They’re just labelled generically as shark meat.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo, even if certain species are protected, you can’t really control the trade unless you know exactly what species each product contains,\u201d he added.<\/span><\/p>\n Enforcement efforts are complicated as marine species span vast ranges over international waters, making it more difficult to pinpoint their source, said Ms Serene Chng, programme manager at wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC International Southeast Asia.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAnother big challenge is how traceability tools have to be very robust. They have to cover all points of the supply chain and yet be feasible to implement by enforcement or regulatory authorities or by the industries themselves,\u201d she noted.<\/span><\/p>\n In a response to CNA\u2019s queries, NParks said it follows up on intelligence from government agencies like the Singapore Food Agency and international partners like INTERPOL. It said it also conducts import checks and market surveillance.<\/span><\/p>\n Frontline officers use a homegrown, artificial intelligence-powered mobile app called Fin Finder to identify shark and ray fins. Suspicious shipments may undergo further checks, including DNA testing.<\/span><\/p>\n Under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act, illegal trading in CITES Appendix II and III species without a permit carries penalties of up to S$500,000 in fines (S$1 million for companies) and\/or imprisonment of up to four years (six years for companies), along with forfeiture of specimens.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\nENFORCEMENT EFFORTS<\/span><\/h2>\n