
Horrific images show thousands of dead sharks piled up on a market floor in Indonesia as workers hack off their fins.

Sharks of all sizes were photographed at the Karngsong fish auction on June 21, in Indramayu, in Indonesia's West Java Province.

The country is one of the world's largest shark catchers due to a demand for shark fins in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China.

In China shark fins are regarded as a delicacy and the fins are one of the world’s most valuable fish products.

They are the main ingredient in shark fin soup, which is priced as high as £68 per bowl. The soup is a symbol of wealth, hospitality and status in China and is often consumed at special occasions such as weddings and banquets.

Huge piles of dead sharks are seen at Karngsong fish auction on June 21, 2016 in Indramayu, West Java Province, Indonesia

A man is pictured slicing off the fin of one dead shark on the floor at the Indonesian market

Sharks of all shapes and sizes were photographed at the market and many were covered in blood

The fish are caught and killed to supply the huge demand for shark fin and meat coming from countries such as China

The fin cartilage is used to provide texture and to thicken the traditional broth, with recipes for the soup dating back as far as the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

The fins are often laid out to dry before being transported across Asia and Green Peace Indonesia data shows the country produces at least 486 tons of dried shark fins a year, the Jakarta Post reports.

Despite objections from the Indonesia Government, shark catching is still rife and hard to control.

The products are exported in the form of fins, liver oil, skin, and even meat

There are concerns about shark over exploitation among Indonesia's conservation activists

A worker sits on the floor as he cuts off the shark fins and leaves them on the floor around him

There are concerns about shark over exploitation among Indonesia's conservation activists.

'Currently, Indonesia is at the top of the 20 largest shark fishing countries in the world,' Save Sharks Indonesia campaign director Riyanni Djangkaru said in a speech last year.

A study by conservation group WildAid found that of the fourteen shark species most prevalent in the shark fin trade, all have experienced regional population declines ranging from 40-99 per cent.

Over 71 per cent are classified as vulnerable or endangered by the Conservation of Nature, meaning they are considered to be at high or very high risk of extinction in the wild.

The shark fins are laid out to dry in the open on trays, lines and mats on the floor

Parts of the shark are laid out to dry and arranged in size order

The fins are one of the world’s most valuable fish products and in China shark fins are regarded as a delicacy

A workers poses with a large catch brought in on a fishing boat in West Java

A rope and a wooden bridge are needed to transport the shark from the boat to land