Mauritius Banned Shark Fishing — But the 'Fin Trade' Framing Needs Nuance

Mauritius, a small island nation in the Indian Ocean, is surrounded by rich marine ecosystems and has been progressively tightening its fisheries laws in line with international conservation obligations. The country is a member of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) and a signatory to CITES, both of which have pushed for stronger shark protections. As early as 2018, Mauritius implemented a ban on shark finning through the conditions attached to fishing authorisations. By 2021, this was formalised into dedicated shark conservation regulations. The Fisheries Act 2023 — a sweeping 210-article, 17-part piece of legislation — replaced the older Fisheries and Marine Resources Act and provides a comprehensive regulatory framework, including shark protection provisions. The claim that Mauritius bans the 'import and sale of shark fin products' contains a kernel of truth: since shark fishing itself is prohibited, there are no legal domestic shark fins to trade; importing shark fins for commercial sale would also conflict with Mauritius's CITES obligations for listed shark species. However, Mauritius has not enacted a standalone shark fin trade ban legislation comparable to the UK's dedicated Shark Fins Act 2023 or Canada's import/export prohibition. The confusion likely arises from conflating a total fishing ban (which is broader) with a targeted trade ban (which is more specific but potentially narrower). Mauritius's approach — outlawing the fishing itself — is actually stronger than a mere trade restriction.