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Processing, trade and markets
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Off the shelf: Holland and Barrett have stopped selling shark cartilage capsules
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Cartilage may be boiled and sun-dried, frozen, or dried using industrial fan driers, depending on the scale of the operation. Cartilage of the vertebrae and fins are commonly used, but jaws and head may also be processed. Cartilage is commonly procured from Spiny Dogfish and hammerhead sharks. The cartilage of Blue Sharks is also valued for its consistency. Cartilage from different species is usually sold in products of similar strength and the source is not usually named. In general cartilage is a byproduct of shark fisheries and the shark fin trade so species composition reflects fisheries catch [6].
In 1995 the global market for shark cartilage was worth over US$30 million, with over 40 products on the market [7]. Shark cartilage products are commonly sold over the internet, but are also sold in health food stores, including Holland and Barrett. In the UK, cartilage is sold as a food supplement, and not as a drug. In Europe cartilage is commonly available but there is little information available on source of supply. In America there are several companies manufacturing shark cartilage powder, which is sold worldwide under various brand names [8]. Trade data are often unavailable due to the nature of the market and lack of regulatory procedures. Tracing trade and assessing the volume of production is difficult as although a relatively small number of companies manufacture cartilage powder, these may purchase cartilage from a variety of domestic or overseas sources including vessels, processors, shark fin dealers or other sources that handle these products. They may also supply ground cartilage to other domestic or overseas companies. Research by TRAFFIC suggests major producing nations include the USA, Japan and Australia.
 Back to Shark Cartilage Campaign
What is Shark Cartilage?
Shark cartilage and cancer
Shark conservation
References
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