Overview

• UNC-Chapel Hill students and instructors purchased 30 shark products in 2021–2022 across Washington, D.C., North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, identifying 29 to species via DNA barcoding.
• Of the products tested, 93% carried generic labels such as “shark” or “mako shark,” and only one item bore a correct species-specific label, with another species-labeled item proven incorrect.
• Roughly 31% of samples came from endangered or critically endangered species, including great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, shortfin mako, and tope.
• Several detected species are known to accumulate high levels of mercury, methylmercury, and arsenic, presenting potential risks to consumers, especially children and pregnant people.
• The authors call for species-level labeling and stronger traceability within existing CITES and U.S. legal frameworks, urging shoppers to avoid shark products lacking species identification or verifiable sourcing.