Shark fin export has officially been suspended after Marine Affairs and Fishery Minister Susi Pudjiastuti issued on December 10, 2014, Regulation No. 59/2014 regarding a ban on hammerhead and oceanic whitetip sharks until November 2015. It had since been extended with Marine Affairs and Fishery Ministry Regulation No. 34/2015, which is effective until December 31, 2016.

According to Agus, Indonesia was the world’s largest shark fin exporter. In 2012, for example, Indonesia exported 434 tons of shark fin worth over US$6 million, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded.

He said that the ministry has joined hands with researchers to count the number of endangered shark species left in Indonesia. The regulation about the ban on export and hunting will be based on the outcome of the research. Despite the export ban, hunting and trade of certain shark species for domestic consumption are still allowed.