Between conservation and exploitation: inside Indonesia's shark trade Part 1

The floor of the market hall is wet. It smells of fish, burning plastic and tobacco. People with baskets full of fish rush from one stall to the next. It's only 5am, but the best business is done here at dawn. Behind the auction area is the landing stage for boats.

Women sit on the ground, sorting through piles of fish. I spot them in between: Dozens of sharks and the highly endangered shark-like rays of the Rhinidae family. There are also many juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks. These species have become very rare and are all listed as 'critically endangered' by the IUCN. However, catching sharks to sell the fins and to eat their meat is a necessity to have financial income.

Uncovering this conflict between sustainable fishery and food and income security is the driver for this investigative research deep in Javas shark fishery.

a juvenile scalloped hammerhead on the floor of a fishing port, East Java.

When I reached the harbour area I realised that I had stirred up a hornet's nest. After visiting several fish markets from Jakarta to remote areas in Java, I thought that finding shark fishing might be more difficult than it first appeared. But when I arrived at this place in East Java, things were different. In addition to dozens of port buildings, cold stores and warehouses, the entire forecourt of the market hall is parked up with scooters and vans. After just a few steps into the market hall, I spot the first white-spotted wedgefish. I discover a piece of tiger shark, a leopard shark and several bowmouth guitarfishes. Like the guitarfish, they are highly endangered. All that's missing now are devil rays and an oceanic whitetip, then the tragic group would be complete. 

I also discover boxes and barrels full of small rays, there must be several thousand of them. Not to mention the vast quantities of fish. I can hardly believe that there is still any swimming in the sea when I look around.

There are at least 20 specimen of Rhinidae-family, some of which are so fragmented that I can no longer identify the exact species. 

But it doesn't matter, because every one of these animals is one too many. Even if not a single one was caught, things would still be bad for these species. If we keep catching them, it won't be long before there are none left on the bloody floor tiles.

But the foundations are in place. All species are listed in CITES Appendix II, which allows international trade only with a special permit, and their IUCN status is "critically endangered".

Today I keep a low profile and take photos to document everything.

I decide to save the photos and come back tomorrow.