“Fin”ished: The Cruelty of Shark Finning
A Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus). Source: National Geographic
With their voracious representation in countless movies and books, it is no surprise that sharks get a bad rap from humans, but how scared should we really be? In 2005, National Geographic reported that, on average, there are about 16 shark attacks per year in the United States, and roughly one fatal attack every two years. Worldwide, roughly 5-15 people are killed by sharks each year. To put this into perspective, along the coast of the United States alone, lightning strikes and kills an average of 41 people every year. Moreover, while less than 20 humans die each year from shark attacks, 20 to 100 million sharks are killed each year, while sharks typically aren’t very harmful to humans. Why then, are humans so afraid of these magnificent organisms?
Shark fin soup is a hot commodity on the Asian seafood market. This dish singlehandedly drives the demand for shark fins and is the underlying reason millions of sharks are mutilated every year. Source: http://tkhim7820.blogspot.com/2010/03/wedding-dinner-in-overseas-restaurant.html.
The negative reputation sharks get from the media generally results in much of the general public disregarding any sympathy for them. As such, this leads to insufficient education about the true ecology of these fish and little interest in their conservation. Recently, however, this reputation has changed. Sharks have become a popular topic among ichthyologists, bringing shark’s true colors into light and subsequently, the disturbing and unethical methods of fishing them.
The most valuable part of a shark on the market today is the fins. Shark fin soup, a popular wedding dish, is a huge commodity in Asia and is highly demanded (a kilogram of shark fins is worth roughly $100 USD in Asia). As such, most sharks are caught simply for their fins – no surprise really. What most people don’t see is how these fins are obtained. In shark finning, the shark is typically dismembered while it is alive, having its fins cut off immediately as it is caught. More disturbingly, the mutilated body of the shark is then tossed overboard where it will sink to the bottom to bleed to death or drown, and yet sharks get a bad rap with humans (Spiegel, 2001).
A diver holds up one of several finless sharks, mutilated while alive by shark finners and left to bleed out or drown. Source:http://rowiescribbles.blogspot.com/2009/04/no-more-shark-fin.html.
As I mentioned, humans kill millions of sharks every year. Moreover, since it can take up to 7 years for some shark species to sexually mature, many are killed before they are able to reproduce. As suck, a major decline in global shark populations has been evident. A study conducted by Baum and colleagues (2003) suggested that some species of sharks had suffered from a more than 75% decline in numbers in 15 years prior to the study. So who should really be running scared, humans or sharks?
There is a glimmer of hope however! Many states have banned the practice of shark finning, and fittingly, during this year’s shark week, Oregon passed a bill (bill HB 2838) prohibiting the possession, trade, and sale of shark fins. California is also pending a similar bill in hopes to stop the travesty that is shark finning. However, the Asian market still has a high demand for shark fin soup, hindering any progress in prohibiting shark finning in those countries. Something drastic must be done. Sharks are at the top of their food chains, controlling populations of many fish species and hence maintaining the proper functioning of many marine ecosystems (Spiegel, 2001). With many species on the brink of extinction as a result of human exploitation, entire ecosystems are at risk. If something isn’t done soon it may be too late, and the consequences will be felt on a global scale.
If you would like to learn more about the shark finning industry, check out “Sharkwater”, a documentary about the Costa Rica shark finning trade (see trailer below).
References:
Baum, J.K., Myers, R.A, Kehler,D.G., Worm, B., Harley, S.J., and Doherty, P.A. 2003. Collapse and Conservation of Shark Populations in the Northwest Atlantic. Science 299: 389-392.
Spiegel, J. 2001. Even Jaws Deserves to Keep His Fins: Outlawing Shark Finning Throughout Global Waters. Boston College International and Comparative Law Review 24: 409-438.
The ban has now extended to Toronto which is the largest market for shark products in the country. Praying on a domino effect so that this can be banned WORLDWIDE, post soon to come on the developments
For those of you keeping up with the shark finning trade, the governor of California, Jerry Brown, officially passed the bill banning the sale, trade, and possession of shark fins. Way to go California!! I have provided a link to an article outlining this below: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9Q7...
Jeff - do you know of any place to see worldwide statistic for this in an infographic or something of the sort?
No apologies needed! People are more likely to come across and read more recent comments and I think that link is a substantial one in terms of getting an up-close-and-personal look at the unethical massacre that is shark finning!
Gordon Ramsay from his special "Shark Bait", he tries Shark Fin Soup in Taiwan » http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r65FgUYdBOc It's hard to watch but it's a must see video.
I'm sorry, I've just watched the link you've posted a couple of weeks ago » http://newyorktoimes.blogspot.com/2011/09/shark-f... This is the same video so please disregard my comment :/
Some sad and disturbing news out of Texas: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44684106/ns/us_news-e...
Sharkwater is a great documentary Stephanie. It really brings the truth behind shark fishing to the surface and outlines the horror of it.
also this might be of interest http://www.sharkwater.com/
This video should really make an impact for those of you interested: http://newyorktoimes.blogspot.com/2011/09/shark-f...
Excellent news! thank you for that post Robin. Another step in the right direction!
I urge anyone reading this article to take a minute or to and go to the link below to vote for California to pass bill AB 376. This bill, now in the state senate, will ban the possession, sale, trade and distribution of shark fins in California. Follow the link below to have your voice heard! https://secure.nrdconline.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=d...
Shark fin soup sales rest upon gullible people who either believe shuckster claims for virility or the cultural experience blather. It tastes like dirty dishwater, which I know from experience during my unenlightened youth when I was a foodie who didn't think beyond the plate except for meat/chicken ... family owned a butcher shop...now I'm vegan. Even carnivore diners can see the perverted cruelty of finning.
Not only is shark finning unethical and blatantly wrong, but it's wasteful as well. If you're going to fish sharks fine, but to just chop off the fins while the shark is still alive and consider the rest of the shark (still alive and very much in pain and suffering) by-catch is astonishing. It is a moral travesty and it has to stop! This article doesn't really touch on the ethics of overfishing, but sharks are overfished and many species are on the brink of extinction, all because someone needs to make 10 million a year instead of 5 million. Something drastic has to be done and it has to be done now!
this practice of shark finning is really horrific, i'm shocked that i have been so unaware of this. i feel slightly ashamed about how scared i've been of sharks in the past when us humans appear to be the most terrifying :-(. is there no kind of petition that we can launch (even just to publicise these atrocities) to stop this from existing in nations where it is still legal?
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