The legal exception that allows the capture of protected sharks in the United States to be sent to foreign aquariums

Between 2018 and 2024, authorized companies operating in the waters of the Delaware Bay in the United States captured protected sand tiger sharks. These captures were facilitated by federal and state permits designed to allow the transfer of the animals to foreign aquariums.

The practice relies on a specific legal exception that permits the taking of protected shark species for international exhibition purposes. The documented captures highlight the regulatory mechanisms utilized to supply marine life from U.S. waters to overseas facilities.