by: Leslie Martin
While I was doing some research today on the practice of shark fining, I discovered a ray of sunshine for predatory shark’s future as the top of the marine food chain. As of April 23, 2009 following the European Union Fisheries Councils meeting where the Community Action Plan for the Conservation and Management of Sharks was adopted, more stringent polices are to be enacted in Scottish waters. The EU has now stated that making stricter regulations on the practice of shark fining is to become a priority and there’s no better time for this to be announced then now!
Shark fining is the practice of killing large predatory shark by chopping off the dorsal fin and then throwing the live body back to the sea to be eaten by other animals or suffer a slow death on the ocean floor. The shark meat is undesirable because there is no market for it and the bodies are bulky and would take up a lot of room on the fishing vessel. The fins that are removed are used to make shark fin soup, a product that is in extremely high demand primarily in China and Taiwan. This multimillion dollar industry is booming right now due to such high demand mainly from China’s emerging middle class. Because of this market many large predatory shark species are being driven to extinction and at an alarmingly rapid rate. Sharks have been at the top of the food chain for an unfathomable amount of time and if removed there is no way humans could cope with their disappearance.
Some of the regulation that this meeting proposed was having an ‘observer’ present on all fishing boats practicing shark fining, This person is supposed to make sure rules are being followed. Also, it is hoped that the extra cost of employing an observer will deter people from applying for fining permits. Although this is a positive step forward for these sharks, much more needs to be done and I fear that the extra cost for these boats will not be a problem since as it stand this industry is extremely lucrative. We can only hope for the best I guess and keep pushing for more effective policies…
30 comments:
Killing sharks for their fins is along the same lines as killing dolphins for their meat. I can't believe there is a market for dolphin and shark. I commend the EU for making regulations tougher. I used to work at a sushi restaurant in town where this crazy guy would always come in and ask us if we had any shark. We would usually tell him "no", but every once in a while we would sell him "baby great white" (it was actually tuna). I don't think he ever knew the difference.
I was unaware how popular shark fin soup was. The idea of it makes me feel sick and I can't believe so many in China and Taiwan feel good about eating it. Do they even know how their food gets to their plate? I would advocate no shark fishing at all, but then you raise another problem of poaching.
I saw this presentation in class and found it so interesting. Just like most people I was totally unaware that shark fin was so sought after in many Asian cultures, and even more unaware of the cruelty towards the sharks. It seems like a total status food that has nothing to do with taste. Shark fins should be totally banned.
I knew sushi places were up to no good. I find it so hard to believe that they always have Toro, and don't just give out normal tuna and pass it off as Toro.
As for shark fins, I find it pathetic that they just lop of the fin and let the rest of it sink. It reminds me of the early American west, and the killing of the buffaloes. They used to just let them all rot, and nearly drove them to extinction. I am glad to see the EU taking a step to combat this.
I think the option of having a watchdog on all shark fishing boats might be unrealistic. It would be easy for fishermen to say they are going fishing for flounder and still end up in port with a boat full of shark meat. more stringent measures such as dock surveillance and assessing what has been caught would also be necessary, and would have to be carried out by the EU rather than local officials (which I'm assuming could be easily bribed in china). I'm glad the EU is taking some indicative, but i don't think they are doing enough.
Im glad to hear that the world is finally starting to take steps to stop the horrible practice of shark finning! Shark finning is completely inhumane and as Leslie said, there would probably be severe consequences for the world if we where to make sharks go extinct. I think the policy of putting an observer on every boat that practices shark finning would be very effective. Not only would it force fishers to fallow finning laws, but it would also make shark finning more expensive which would hopefully discourage its' continued practice.
ROBERT SEADER
This is a very interesting and relevant blog. I remember watching a short documentary on shark fining during the Discovery Channels Shark Week when I was nine or ten. I think that it is interesting that it has taken this long to do something about it. Though, I feel that people in general are becoming more informed and opinionated on our effect on the earth. Two things I wonder about with these stricter policies is 1) How and who will the choose to be an 'observer? Will there be some sort of organization that they work from? And, 2) What will be used to regulate the integrity of these 'observers'? Shark fining=$$$, I would be surprised if these observers were not offered bribes to slack on their duties...
This really is a problem. It's so unfair! But having an observer to police a boat would probably fail. Wouldn't it be easy to bribe him? How would you get an observer on every single boat? You'd need thousands! I think, therefore, the better solution would be to eliminate demand. This could be done by using the mass media in China, Taiwan, and other countries in demand to educate the public about the truth behind the matter, and how much harm their delicacy really causes. Without demand, there'd be no need for stringent enforcement policies, and the sharks could live!
I think it is unfair to kill sharks just for there fins. We need to impose a higher fine for killing endangered sharks. We should get the shark finners at the docs when they unload. I really enjoy the biodiversity of the ocean as I spend heaps of time in and around it. Killing sharks will mess up the food chain and hurt the ocean.
I was baffled by how popular shark fin soup was. I agree that we need stringent laws against this horrible practice.
this is a good step for the European Union, but I thought shark finningwas mainly taking place in China, Japanin other places in Asia. Hopefully this will inspire the UN to get involved more, as it seems that would be the best way to deal with the problem. Don't get me wrong this is good, but the EU wasn't really the main source of the problem.
While reading this article, I became completely appaled by the fact that shark fin soup is a booming industry. Tossing the shark back into the wild without their dorsal fine is detrimental to their survival. I hope to see continued progress on this topic towards this inhumane practice.
I think the above comment is correct if they are going to do this then they need to monitor all of the catch that comes back it would be way to easy to sneak around otherwise.
The question is how do we get China, and the other countries involved in this practice to change their views on this practice. A VERY different mentality towards animals exists in Asia compared the western world. If you aren't easily offended check out this video that pretty much sums up this culture difference. Its a fish that has been prepared in a way that allows it to survive being cooked. It is then laughed at and prodded by the people eating it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivstO1Nv0rY
We are so critical to the asian culture who eat shark, but look at the meat industry in the U.S. I agree with Lukas about education policies, but how effective is it when a culture is so entrenched with its societal diet?
Although there is an extra cost to having an observer aboard a shark fin vessel is supposed to be a good thing for sharks, what's to say that people won't just turn to black market shark finning? There is very little regulation on the shark finning practice because the ocean is so large. I feel that adding the cost of a person on board to watch their practices will only worsen the problem. People will be less likely to cooperate with regulations because there will be more black market fishing.
Sharks and dolphins are excluded from our social blind spot on suffering. When we produce or kill something for food: Does a plant suffer? Does a chicken suffer? Does a cow suffer?
Its all about social conditioning. Although we find shark finning despicable (i do too), we are able to block out the trauma a chicken lives in its whole life, based on its large role in our culture.
This is the case in asia. The public are not educated to the damage destroying a top preadator does to its ecosystem, let alone the manner in which these awesome beasts are cowardely felled. "If only they knew!" is naive. Truely we should say, "if only the companies marketing this product stopped." Populatrity would follow....but will that happen?
I hear that shark fin soup is not even that tasty but more of a delicacy and status symbol if you can order it. There are clearly better alternatives when choosing what seafood to eat and those need to be given more importance than shark fins. If somehow shark fins were made less desirable then it would be less of a problem.
@ ROBERT SEADER
This was my first thought too, I can't imagine an "observer" on every boat will not be bribed with the profitable industry they are in. I wonder how much this will cut down on destroying the shark population. Is this a big practice over there? What if the vessels just went to deeper waters do they still need an "observer"?...I'm just wondering the significance this legislation actually has, but I do agree small steps are better than none.
I'm glad someone brought this issue up. Very similar to the situation going on in Japan with dolphins, with both of them being extremely wasteful and inhumane due to the killing practices and lack of a market for the meat. I agree, there really isn't anything that can be done unless people do something. This is one of those rare situations in todays society where activism is actually going to do some good. Bring back the protests, and marches and we'll get something done. Although I have no more faith in government when it comes to international cultural issues.
I don't think that you should lose sight of solving this issue by imposing the cost of an observer to fishing operations. It only takes a certain amount of added cost to make an activity no longer economical. In the case for shark fin soup, the added cost could lower demand for the meal and discourage fishermen from this practice. Or why not just encourage the same kind of Fish and Game officers we have in the states, in Asia?
While it seems that this increased regulation in Scottish waters may not have a huge effect on the Chinese shark fin market, i am sure it is a step in the right direction. If nothing else, these regulations may serve as an example to those wishing to increase shark fining policies in other areas. It will be interesting to see how effective these policies really are, and if they can be regulated efficiently.
I would think a huge problem is getting people to even register. The extra cost wouldn't be a problem for fishers who never registered for shark fining.
I was unaware how popular shark fin soup was, and I think it is unfair to kill sharks just for there fins. We need to impose a higher fine for killing endangered sharks and make this an issue we actually enforce. Its sad when people continue actions with disregard to the environment and the repercussions it will cause.
I did a report on this for an econ class and found that some people were reccomending that sharks can only be traded with the carcass intact. they thought this would deture fishers from filling the boat with fins and dumping the bodies and could lessen the ammount caught because there would be less room on the ship
I cannot believe that sharks are still being hunted for their fins and the rest is discarded. China needs to settle down on the shark fin soup. I mean come on it cant taste that good. Chill out China.
What a horrible problem, and it kind of reminds me of killing whales in some cultures, only for small portions of their body. Maybe Animal Planet will make a new TV show...Shark Wars
This dose seem like a move in the right direction. I am curious what portion of the shark fins come from the Atlantic and Med....? I believe an overwhelming majority are caught in the pacific. Will the EU impose this policy on some of its territories in the Pacific?
While it will still be hard to inforce new regulations, it is a step in the right direction. I didn't know finning was that common in Scottish waters, thought it was more of a Pacific problem. Any chance of educating the Chinese or Taiwanese middle class on the destructive nature finning has on shark populations or marine ecosystems in general?
This was horrible to hear and very upsetting. This is an important issue to address because I do not think many people are aware of this.
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