AbstractOne of the problems that arose from the meetings of the Barcode in Mexico project was the urgency of having a method in which Mexican authorities could trust for detecting shark finning. This study examined DNA barcoding as a method to identify 14 dried shark fins confiscated by the Mexican Government in two exportation shipments in Mazatlán and Manzanillo ports. Fins were DNA barcoded using the COI mitochondrial gene and provided matching sequences of six species: Prionace glauca, Carcharhinus falciformis, Carcharhinus limbatus, Alopias pelagicus, Mustelus henlei and Rhizoprionodon longurio. There is no information on DNA barcoding sharkfin trade in the Mexican Pacific and this is the first group effort with Mexican Government Agencies for the conservation of sharks.