Driven by demand for squalene in beauty products, gulper shark populations have plummeted globally—yet a landmark international push to regulate their trade could mark a turning point in the fight to save these vital, ancient species.
With their luminous green eyes and slender, prehistoric bodies, gulper sharks rank among the most mysterious deep-sea creatures. Dwelling at depths of 200 to 1,500 meters across the globe, these sharks have survived for millions of years—until industries on the surface discovered the lucrative secret in their livers.
Today, that secret—squalene, an oil highly prized for its role in skin care and pharmaceuticals—has become the sharks’ undoing. Three-quarters of gulper shark species now face extinction, and experts warn that without intervention, these unique animals may disappear within a generation.
Why Gulper Sharks Matter: A Vanishing Link in Ocean Ecosystems
Gulper sharks play a subtle but crucial role in their ecosystems. As predators and prey in some of the planet’s least explored realms, their decline disrupts the balance of deepwater environments that humanity barely understands.
The peril facing these sharks is emblematic of a global crisis. Over the past 30 years, increasingly sophisticated fishing fleets have targeted deeper migrations, chasing stocks as shallow-water fisheries became depleted. Deepwater sharks like gulpers—slow to mature and breed—have proven particularly vulnerable to this industrial escalation.
The Squalene Supply Chain: From Ocean Depths to Beauty Products
The heart of the crisis is squalene, an organic compound abundant in gulper shark liver oil. Used as a moisturizer and antioxidant, squalene appears in everything from makeup to sunscreen and even pharmaceutical products.
According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), gulper shark oil is found in products as varied as moisturizers and hemorrhoid treatments. A 2024 study in Science analyzed 521 deepwater shark and ray species, finding nearly two-thirds of threatened deepwater sharks have been exploited for their oil.
- Gulper sharks contain over 70% squalene in their liver oil—the highest proportion among all shark species.
- The cosmetics industry accounts for over 70% of squalene consumption globally, with plant-based sources now providing about 80% of the market.
- Some major brands, including L’Oreal and Unilever, stopped using shark-derived squalene in 2008, but global demand persists and not all firms disclose their sources.
The impact on shark populations has been extreme. In parts of the world, gulper shark numbers have collapsed by more than 80%, while one Australian species is forecast to need 86 years just to recover a quarter of its historic numbers .
Turning Point: Global Lawmakers Move to Protect Deepwater Species
For decades, conservationists have campaigned to include gulper sharks in CITES Appendix II—the international regulatory list that governs the trade of endangered species. Unlike higher-profile sharks, deepwater species have mostly escaped regulation, even as overfishing intensified.
This may soon change. At the 2025 CITES conference in Uzbekistan, delegates will decide whether to add gulpers to Appendix II. If adopted, the new listing will:
- Mandate strict monitoring of gulper shark trade across international borders.
- Require exporting nations to prove that trade is sustainable and legally sourced, or risk trade suspensions.
- Set a precedent for protecting other deepwater species as fishing fleets push ever deeper into our oceans.
The cosmetics industry itself is beginning to acknowledge the urgency. Companies like Biossance tout their bioengineered and plant-based squalene as direct substitutes for animal-derived oil. Industry research by Grand View Research indicates the global squalene market was worth $150 million in 2023, with plant sources surging but animal products still in use—sometimes hidden due to inadequate labeling.
Looking Back—and Forward: Lessons From Past Fisheries Management
Previous attempts at piecemeal national shark protections have proven insufficient. Consider the Maldives: after banning gulper shark fishing in 2010 due to a 97% decline in 21 years, the nation recently floated reopening its fishery under pressure from market demand—demonstrating how easily local laws can be swayed.
The CITES process offers a unique enforcement mechanism. Countries trading illegally or without proper sustainability assessments risk trade suspensions for all related species, a significant financial motivator to comply.
Why the World Is Watching: What’s at Stake for Consumers and Conservation
This controversy raises pressing dilemmas for consumers and brands alike:
- Should companies be required to fully disclose ingredient sources, especially when alternatives exist?
- How can global treaties adapt as industry practices and environmental threats evolve?
- Are individual purchasing decisions enough to shift multinational industries—or is enforceable international law the only answer for species like the gulper shark?
As delegates debate in Uzbekistan, gulper sharks stand at a tipping point: success would make them the first deepwater species to receive trade protection under CITES—an historic signal that even the world’s most elusive creatures are not forgotten.
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