A shipment of 17 tonnes of shark fins bound for Malaysia has been intercepted at the Brazilian port of Itapoá. On 27 October 2026, the environmental agency Ibama announced that it had fined the company responsible 50 million reais. The federal revenue service, Receita Federal, had previously seized the cargo.
Sacks labelled as sardines
According to the agency, the fins were in sacks that were supposed to contain sardines. Ibama considers the false labelling an attempt to evade inspection. The statement does not name the company.
Most of the fins examined came from blue sharks (Prionace glauca), with a smaller proportion from shortfin makos (Isurus oxyrinchus). Officers estimate that around 5,700 sharks were killed to obtain them.
What the seizure establishes — and what remains unclear
The seized cargo and the fine are documented. The statement does not say whether the fine has already been paid or the proceedings concluded. Nor does finding fins alone establish whether the sharks had their fins removed at sea and their bodies subsequently thrown overboard.
A separate Brazilian case involved investigations in Piúma. It is distinct from the latest seizure in Itapoá. A study on trade in shark products addresses the broader question of how finning bans affect trade flows.
