OCean Week 2025, Brussels

Last Week, during “Ocean Week 2025,” we had an amazing outreach event at the European Parliament, hosted by MEP Manuela Ripa, to raise awareness about the role the EU plays in the international shark fin trade. The event brought together a coalition of groups that are supporting the proposal to end the Trade of shark fins. Thank you to @seasatrisk_ngo @stopfinningeu @stopfinningde @elasmoceanorg @sharkguardian @sharkproject_international @sciaena @irishwildlifetrust
Many members of Parliament, coordinators, advisors, EU Commission members, and country representatives attended and engaged with us on the topic. Once again, it showed that we all have a common ground - we see the need to protect the ocean and biodiversity, and we realize that more effective policies are needed to change the devastating practice of industrial overfishing.

A massive thank you to MEP @manuela.ripa for her support and leadership on the topic of Europe and its involvement in the shark fin trade, and for sponsoring the Shark Lab. Her words send an important message to the EU government. Here are highlights of her speech:

„It’s not the shark that is the real danger; the real danger is a world without sharks. And healthy oceans are the foundation of life on earth. Our sustainable blue economy is why this week in Parliament, we have Ocean Week.

Protecting sharks is not about protecting a single species; it’s about preserving our ocean’s ability to heal our planet, our climate resilience, food security, and biodiversity protection, all at once. And yet, sharks are the most misunderstood and most threatened animals on earth. One of the key drivers of this global decline is the trade of shark fins. Europe plays a major role in this trade, both as an exporter and a transit hub. This is why the successful citizens Initiative, “Stop Finning-Stop the Trade,” was so important. It sent a very clear message that Europeans want to end this cruel and unsustainable practice. It is now our responsibility as policymakers to transform this public will into law and into enforcement.
Let us make sure that future generations remember sharks not as legends of the past but as living proof of what humanity can achieve when it chooses coexistence rather than exploitation.“

Manuela Ripa, Minister European Parliament

Some of the attendants

Confiscated shark fins