New Wave Foods is planning to use genetically modified yeast to produce collagen, which can be crafted into the desired fan-like structure typical of shark fins. “You start with a gel and then stretch it into the right conformation”, says Jenny Kaehms, a bioengineer and co-founder of the company.
The idea for a “shark fin without the shark” is part of the goal of New Wave Foods to create what Kaehms terms “sustainable seafood” – but this isn’t the company’s only attempt to change what people put on their plates. Using a different technique, the team is working to produce a shrimp substitute from algae and plant proteins, and is hoping to have the product ready for market by early next year. “Shrimp is the highest volume consumed seafood in the US, so it just made sense for us to start with something that can make the biggest splash”, says Kaehms.
But conservationists caution that there is no simple solution to end shark finning. “Anything that can suppress the demand or provide an alternative for shark fin is quite helpful in the short term, but there will always be a demand for shark products, whether that’s fin, meat, cartilage or other by-products”, says Paul Cox, managing director of the Shark Trust. “Ultimately, in order to safeguard the future of sharks, we have got to keep pushing for a combination of sustainably managed fisheries and responsible consumer supply chains.”
