Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what data his Department holds on the amount of shark meat that entered the commercial food chain in each of the last five years.

While we monitor landings of shark species into UK ports and abroad by UK vessels, as well as UK trade flows of shark commodities, we do not hold data on the volume of shark meat entering the commercial food chain.

The UK Government continues to be a leading voice for sustainable fisheries, trade and protection of shark species. The UK places the utmost importance on ensuring that appropriate protection and management is in place for all shark species. While we are not opposed to the capture of sharks in commercial fisheries, we want to ensure those fisheries are sustainable, trade is managed, and that appropriate management measures are in place.