Overview

• UNC researchers used DNA barcoding on 29 retail shark products from grocery stores, seafood markets, and online vendors in several U.S. locations including Washington, D.C., North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia.
• Labels were ambiguous on 93% of samples—often just “shark” or “mako”—and one of the two species-level labels was incorrect.
• Nearly a third of the products came from endangered or critically endangered species, including great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, tope, and shortfin mako.
• Several identified species are known to accumulate high levels of mercury and arsenic, posing risks to consumers, especially children and pregnant people.
• Some meat was sold for as little as $2.99 per pound, and the authors urge mandatory species-specific labeling and traceable sourcing, noting that legality varies by species and harvest location under CITES and the U.S. Endangered Species Act.