within costa rica, the fight to protect hammerhead sharks is faced with the realities of illegal fishing and government inaction. the apex predator, though feared by some sea life, is actually one of the most fragile shark species in the world, according to the save our seas foundation. upon capture — even if accidental — they have a high mortality rate. 

in june 2023, the costa rican supreme court decreed that hammerhead sharks are wildlife; therefore, they cannot be commercialized or exported out of the country. yet, this is still happening through “bycatch” — accidental capture that lets fishermen, both small-scale and commercial, continue to make a profit.

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this photo essay is an independent project related to a bigger project funded and published by the pulitzer center on crisis reporting.