Peru Protects Sharks and Other Marine Species from Illegal Trafficking | Oceana

Victory | November 17, 2022

Peru Protects Sharks and Other Marine Species from Illegal Trafficking

Peru’s Congress enacted a law that now includes illegal wildlife trafficking in the country’s Law Against Organized Crime. Oceana and our allies were instrumental in achieving this victory, which will help protect hundreds of aquatic and terrestrial species, including sharks, which are highly prized for their fins in the illicit trade. Thirty tons of shark parts were seized in Peru in 2018 alone. With this new inclusion, Peru is the first South American country to declare illegal wildlife trafficking as a form of organized crime. This victory will give Peruvian authorities more legal tools to enforce the law and penalize those operating criminal networks.