Wildlife trade has been part of human society for many centuries, but it has become a major conservation issue in the last century due to the rapid human population increase, among other factors. Within wildlife trade, there is a specific subset of marine species considered luxury items and highly exploited to supply the demand for them in Asian markets. Here, I describe the trade and historic fisheries dynamics of two main case studies (shark fins and fish maws) and how deep cultural attachments and poor consumer choices have driven these and several other species to the brink of extinction.
