The majority of chip shop fish sold under generic names like huss, rock salmon and rock eel turned out to be spiny dogfish — a species of shark which is endangered in Europe and classed as vulnerable worldwide.

Scientists used DNA barcoding to take samples of shark products from fishmongers and chip shops, as well as shark fins from an Asian food wholesaler in the UK…

The research was carried out at the University of Exeter and the scientists are calling for more accurate food labelling so people know which species they are eating.

Dr Andrew Griffiths said: “The discovery of endangered hammerhead sharks (and others…like spiny dogfish) highlights how widespread the sale of declining species really is — even reaching Europe and the UK.

Same old story. Folks in business who decide profit at any price write the rules. Change the name of your product to fool the folks who never read the fine print. Presuming government watchdogs require the fine print to be the truth.