The use of DNA barcoding to identify illegally traded shark fins in Brazil

Abstract

The demand for shark fi ns has increased in the last years, stimulating the illegal trade and predatory capture techniques that threaten the survival of natural populations. Shark fi ns are usually removed immediately after the catch and the body of the animal is thrown back into the ocean, preventing the morphological identifi cation of the species. When morphological identifi cation is compromised, genetic identifi cation can be used to associate unknown samples to a reference sample by comparing sequences of mitochondrial genes. In this study we used sequences of 650 base pair of the subunit I of cytochrome c oxidase gene (COI) associated with the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) to identify a cargo of shark fi ns seized by the Brazilian Federal Police in 2011. We have successfully matched 25 of 26 samples sent to the laboratory to three different species, Prionace glauca, Isurus oxyrinchus and Sphyrna zygaena. Although none of them are currently protected by Brazilian laws, this study reinforces the utility of DNA barcoding in forensic casework.