Mongabay's investigation into Brazilian government procurement practices has revealed a troubling trend: widespread purchases of shark meat for public institutions, including schools, hospitals, and prisons. Brazil is the world's largest consumer and importer of shark meat, raising significant concerns about overfishing and the health risks posed by heavy metal contamination in shark meat. The investigation involved months of meticulous data collection from various government portals, uncovering 1,012 shark meat tenders issued since 2004 and identifying 5,900 public institutions that potentially received this meat. The findings have prompted calls for parliamentary hearings to address the implications of these procurements, especially given the known dangers of shark meat consumption for vulnerable populations. The research highlights the challenges faced by journalists in navigating inconsistent government databases to uncover critical information.