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The shark and ray (Elasmobranchii) trade is a commercially valuable industry that has negative consequences for wild populations. An estimated 100 million sharks are caught each year to supply the demand for cultural cuisines, traditions and practices, including shark fin soup and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Despite the establishment of frameworks and regulations by international trade and conservation bodies as well as national legislations, elasmobranch populations continue to decline. While their conservation becomes an ever more pressing concern, a major obstacle that hampers regulation is the mislabelling and/or misidentification of dried products or carcasses that have had fins removed. Here we use DNA barcoding to identify the species of origin for a variety of shark and ray products readily available to consumers in Singapore, a major importer of these goods. We amplified a fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene from shark fin, cartilage and meat, as well as ray gill plates and meat for DNA sequencing. Our analysis of 207 DNA barcodes yielded 28 positively identified elasmobranch species, eight of which are listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and 12 are listed as Endangered or Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. This information will be useful to regulatory bodies in controlling trade and establishing new or revisiting previous conservation status listings.

The status of elasmobranchs in Southeast Asia has been highlighted as a serious concern, yet there are limited data to assess stocks and develop appropriate management plans. Surveys of elasmobranchs at two fishery ports in Singapore were conducted between 2017 and 2020. These fishery ports receive fresh, whole imports of seafood from the region as well as seafood caught in Singapore waters. Data were collected on 13,817 rays, 2,480 sharks, and 1,297 wedgefishes and giant guitarfishes over 102 surveys. The majority of elasmobranchs were imported from Indonesia or Malaysia, and only a few individuals (six sharks and 278 rays) were reportedly caught within Singapore waters. In Singapore, elasmobranchs are predominantly used for their meat, and wedgefish snouts are also commonly used in collagen soup. The data collected highlights potential conservation concerns, particularly surrounding the large volumes of Maculabatis gerrardi and Maculabatis macrura rays (categorized as Vulnerable and Not Assessed by the IUCN) that are imported, and the high proportions of immature individuals of Carcharhinus sorrah and Carcharhinus sealei sharks. During this study, a single Rhynchobatus cooki was discovered – the first reported sighting in over 20 years.

There is general consensus that claimants to the South China Sea (SCS) should set aside territorial disputes and cooperate to preserve the natural resources of the sea. These resources are vital to millions of fishermen and consumers but are severely overexploited. Failure to prevent further exploitation or replenish stocks will exacerbate tensions in the SCS as countries compete for dwindling resources. Understanding how and where to start cooperating is a topic of much debate, and few ideas have gained enough traction for implementation. This report suggests that agreements can be built from existing commonalities in national laws and policies concerning fisheries and the marine environment. Utilizing these commonalities could help to build confidence by showing that despite disputes, there are in fact similarities and areas of alignment. This would not only build confidence but may serve as a less contentious route toward cooperation, because countries are agreeing - at a regional level - on criteria they already agree on at a national level. This concept is explored by looking at the fisheries and marine environmental laws and policies of China, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

In May 2019 a female specimen of Rhynchobatus cooki was found at Jurong Fishery Port in Singapore. The specimen had been imported from Indonesia. The species had not been seen for over 20 years, and this discovery gives hope that Rhynchobatus cooki is not yet extinct.