Top Hammerhead Sharks, Etc. Not Elsewhere Included Fishing Countries

Hammerhead sharks, belonging to the family Sphyrnidae, are distinctive for their unique, laterally expanded heads, known as cephalofoils. These sharks inhabit warm, temperate, and tropical waters worldwide and are often targeted for their fins, meat, and liver oil. The term "Top Hammerhead Sharks, Etc. Not Elsewhere Included" refers to the collective reporting of hammerhead species and similar sharks in fisheries statistics, often due to challenges in species-level identification. Major fishing countries harvesting hammerhead sharks include Indonesia, India, Spain, and Taiwan, with Indonesia frequently leading global landings. These countries catch hammerheads both as targeted species and as bycatch in longline, gillnet, and trawl fisheries. Overfishing and high demand for shark fins have led to significant declines in hammerhead populations, prompting international conservation measures such as CITES listings and stricter management in some regions.

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.