It is tragic, but true that scientists cannot always be honest in describing where newly discovered species live, as that information can be - and has been - used by wildlife traffickers.

The largest ever dried shark fin seizures were made by Hong Kong authorities earlier this month in May 2020; the combined volumes of the two shipments from Ecuador more than doubled last year’s total volume. However, sharks are not the only marine wildlife trafficked transnationally. The persistent demand for their fins is but one side of a multi-dimensional global trade network of Haiwei.…

The largest ever dried shark fin seizures were made by Hong Kong authorities earlier this month in May 2020; the combined volumes of the two shipments from Ecuador more than doubled last year’s total volume. However, sharks are not the only marine wildlife trafficked transnationally. The persistent demand for their fins is but one side of a multi-dimensional global trade network of Haiwei.

“Learn to listen. Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly” - Anonymous.

 A couple of years ago, I decided to start a research project on a small-scale fishery in Chile that had a considerable illegality problem. As young and reckless as I was, I went against suggestions to work somewhere else: “It’s too big, too dangerous”, “You’ll never be able to get fishers to talk about it”.

Hace un par de años, decidí comenzar un proyecto de investigación sobre una pesquería artesanal en Chile que tenía un problema de ilegalidad considerable. Joven e imprudente como era, fui en contra de las sugerencias de gente que me recomendaba que eligiera otro lugar donde trabajar.