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Ecuador criticised for shark-fin sales

Hundreds of sharks have been slaughtered daily off the coast of Ecuador after a ban on the sale of fins was lifted last week.
Ecologists say fishing boats have returned to shore laden with the fins of dozens of shark species, including several that are threatened with extinction. Most of the fins are exported to Asia, where they end up in soup bowls.
While shark fishing remains illegal in Ecuador, fishermen are now permitted to sell the fins of sharks that are caught accidentally. There is no clear way, however, for officials to determine whether the fish were caught accidentally or intentionally.