Taking shark off the menu in Uruguay

The Rio de la Plata flows into the Atlantic Ocean between Argentina and Uruguay. Rich in nutrients, the fresh river water meets productive seawater here, upwelling onto the oceanic shelf. The result is high biodiversity, and that has attracted unsustainable fishing pressure. 

The Uruguayan fishing fleet is small in comparison to its neighbours but is poorly regulated. Many boats target sharks, exporting fins through the port of Montevideo. More than 90 per cent of fish caught in Uruguay’s waters are exported.

Uruguay’s rich marine ecosystem is host to at least 100 shark and ray species, 31 cetacean species, 38 seabird species, and the largest breeding colonies of South American fur seals and sea lions. But public awareness of the ocean environment is low, and marine conservation has been generally ignored until now. 

In 2025, our partners Mar Azul Uruguayo (MAU) helped to identify five key locations for protection at the IUCN’s regional workshop on Important Shark and Ray Areas. Field campaigns detected aggregations of endangered guitarfish in rocky coastal habitats, and these findings will be published. Public engagement reached new heights through strategies such as participating in La Paloma’s Artisanal Fishing Festival, where shark footage captivated audiences. At Argentina’s largest fishing tournament, MAU scientists convinced organisers to remove guitarfish from catch categories.  

In 2025, MAU also trained naval personnel in satellite monitoring to combat illegal fishing, and a documentary on illegal fishing, ‘Agua Invadida’, premiered to government officials and lawmakers, sparking widespread media coverage. 

MAU is now focusing efforts on the Pez Limón zone following the discovery of coral formations threatened by unauthorized Argentine fishing vessels. Another four MPAs are in the pipeline, and we continue to give the government the data and support it needs to fulfil its commitment to protect at least 30 per cent of Uruguay’s marine territory.