WCS 3-Sentence Science

Researchers Use DNA-Barcoding to ID Sharks in World’s Largest Shark Fishery

July 31, 2019

CREDIT: HOLLIE BOOTH/WCS

Each year, Wildlife Conservation Society scientists publish more than 300 peer-reviewed studies and papers. “WCS 3-Sentence Science” is a regular tip-sheet — in bite sized helpings — of some of this published work.

Here we present work by the WCS Indonesia marine program on the use of DNA barcoding to identify shark species.

1. Indonesia is the world’s largest shark fishing nation with a wide range of shark species in trade, some of which are threatened and protected but difficult to visually identify, particularly for semi-processed non-fin products.
2. Through a collaboration between WCS and Bogor Agricultural University, researchers in Indonesia tested a DNA barcoding method for identifying the species of origin for a range of shark products sold in local markets, including meat, skin, cartilage, and liver oil.
3. The method was successful — with all of the products identified to species level with an accuracy of 97–100 percent — with the results showing an alarming frequency of threatened and internationally regulated species such as wedgefish, silky sharks, hammerhead sharks and thresher sharks, a finding that indicates the need for improved fisheries and trade management at the local level to alleviate pressure on these species.

Study and Journal: “DNA-barcoding as molecular marker for seafood forensics: Species identification of locally consumed shark fish products in the world’s largest shark fishery” from IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science
WCS Co-Author(s): E. Muttaqin (Lead), WCS Indonesia program; M. Ichsan; B.M. Simeone; I. Yulianto; and H. Booth, WCS Indonesia Program

For more information, contact: John Delaney, 718-265-7908, jdelaney@wcs.org.