Why are sharks disappearing? The shark fin soup story | LSE Future Proof

Sharks have survived for 450 million years, yet in the past 50 years their populations have dropped by 71%. An estimated 80 million sharks are killed every year, driven by global demand for shark fin soup, a dish with no taste or nutritional value that became a symbol of prestige in Ming Dynasty China.

So if international rules now protect sharks, why are ocean life and ocean animals still disappearing, from markets in Hong Kong to waters around the world?

In this episode of LSE Future Proof, we explore how Chinese food culture turned shark fin soup into a prized part of Chinese cuisine, why regulation alone failed to save marine life, and what history tells us about protecting wildlife and our ocean.

We explore research by Dr Ronald C. Po, Associate Professor in the Department of International History, on how centuries-old ideas about prestige created new markets for shark meat, and why effective conservation must address culture, not just law.

In 2026, our Future Proof series goes behind the scenes with some of LSE's sustainability experts to explore what a sustainable and resilient future could look like, and how the social sciences can help us build it.

Find out more about Future Proof: https://www.lse.ac.uk/global-school-of-sustainability/future-proof

🐦‍⬛ New episodes out every second Tuesday of each month: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK4elntcUEy1lk8TEOnBrzfR9Il0j1x5v

▶️ Read more about Ron Po’s research here: https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/138610/
https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/129848/
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2026/02/16/blue-sustainability-and-society-initiative-history-oceans
Shark fin in late Imperial China: rethinking harmful traditions | LSE Research - LSE