What is a shark?

Seafood: Shark fins: In cities with shark fin bans, what happens to the fins of whole sharks?

• Some cities in North America, including San Francisco and Toronto, have instituted stiff fines for possession of shark fins.   Shark meat and shark skin are also used dishes, and they aren’t covered under a shark fin ban. So what happens to the fins of whole sharks in jurisdictions that have a shark fin ban in place?   This article from http://Reason.com suggests that when sharks are caught and brought to port in San Fransisco, fishermen cut off the fins and toss them overboard so that they aren't fined for possessing the fin.   http://reason.com/archives/2012/04/28/state-shark-fin-bans-lack-bite Can you buy a whole shark in a fish shop in Toronto or San Francisco, with fin intact? What is done with the fins if a shark is sold as steaks?

• Answer:

  The Coral Sea Fish Market in Kensington helped me with part of this question. They didn't have shark steaks when I went in, but they said when they do get shark in, it's already pan dressed, that is, the head, tail and fins have been removed. So, at least for this one fish market in Toronto, the fins aren't an issue.