There is a shark attack occurring worldwide. The attack is not one of sharks, but rather an attack on sharks to procure their fins. The shark finning industry is a multi-million dollar operation that persists in the worlds oceans. It is largely unmanaged, unmonitored and unsustainable. Costa Rica is one of the tropical countries where supply of shark fins originates. That supply was the inspiration for this study, which examines ecology, human understanding of shark-finning, politics, conservation, and shark biology. The purpose of this study was to gauge ecological conditions in Costa Rica, as well as survey residents and tourists in Costa Rica about their understanding of this critical topic for sustainability.