TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) is calling upon fishers to stop the catch and sale of wedgefish, which have been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
According to FRI, little is known about the bottom-dwelling wedgefish that feed on crustaceans, mollusks, and smaller fish. Local research began in 2023 with a tagging and release program to track the habitat and migratory patterns of wedgefish.
FRI researcher Hsu Hua-hsun (徐華遜) told CNA that so far this year, four wedgefish have been tagged and released into the wild. He said the tags will track the migratory movements of the fish for six months.
Hsu said the FRI is also working with fishing ports, which often haul in wedgefish as part of bycatch, mislabeling and selling them as a shark species. This not only leads to inaccurate data but also poor management of a critically endangered species.
Hsu said that wedgefin fins fetch quite a lot of money, with the dorsal and tail fins often sold separately. The meat of the fish can be used as fillets, steaks, or turned into fish paste.
In Penghu, wedgefish fetches NT$100 (US$3.14) per kilogram, though in Yunlin and Chiayi, the price is often double due to demand from gourmet restaurants. In a few instances, wedgefish has been exported to China.
The wedgefish is a member of the cartilaginous fish family Rhinidae, which is similar to rays. Its habitat often overlaps with humans, putting wedgefish populations at risk of rapid deterioration.
For this reason, all 10 species of wedgefish in 2019 were included in the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II, requiring trade to be regulated. This means that export must be accompanied by documentation from authorities that native populations are sustainable and unharmed.
