• Posted September 11, 2025

Endangered Shark Meat Found in U.S. Grocery Stores, Study Says

Shark meat sold in the U.S. may come from endangered species without consumers realizing it, a new study warns.

Researchers tested 29 shark products, including 19 fillets bought in grocery stores and seafood markets across North Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C., plus 10 jerky products purchased online. 

Using DNA barcoding, they identified the species and compared them with the product labels.

"We found critically endangered sharks, including great hammerhead and scalloped hammerhead, being sold in grocery stores, seafood markets and online," lead researcher Savannah Ryburn of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill told CBS News.

"Of the 29 samples, 93% were ambiguously labeled as 'shark,' and one of the two products labeled at the species level was mislabeled," she added.

The study — published Sept. 10 in Frontiers in Marine Science — found that 31% of products came from endangered or critically endangered species, including great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, tope and shortfin mako sharks. 

Other samples came from species considered vulnerable or near-threatened, such as spinner, lemon, thresher, blacktip, smooth-hound and Pacific angelsharks.

Beyond conservation issues, mislabeled shark meat could also pose health risks. 

Species like the scalloped hammerhead, great hammerhead and dusky smooth-hound are known to carry high levels of mercury, methylmercury and arsenic, substances linked to neurological and developmental problems.

"When consumers are purchasing ambiguously labeled or mislabeled shark meat, they have no way to know what species they are consuming and what the associated health risks might be," the study authors wrote.

They recommend requiring species-specific labeling to help consumers make informed choices. 

Ryburn advised avoiding products that don't have traceable sourcing: “When shark meat is not a food security necessity, consumers should avoid purchasing products that lack species-level labeling or traceable sourcing.”

More information

Oceanic Preservation Society has more on consuming shark meat.

SOURCES: Frontiers, Sept. 9, 2025; CBS News, Sept. 10, 2025