Shark finning in the United States and Asia has been affecting marine life across the world. Should this act continue, most species of shark will be extinct. With an absence of predators, marine ecosystems will essentially collapse. This is because with nothing there to regulate the population of prey fish, the number of fish will grow exponentially, causing food sources to deplete.
Activists are shocked that even with so much at hand, the fishing continues. They are even more shocked at the process which fisherman use to collect fins.
“They capture a shark, slice off their fins, and the bodies are tossed back,” said Placer high school sophomore and shark finning opponent, Heidi Wolken.
Once back in the water, the shark is either eaten alive by scavengers or drowned, because without its fins, sharks are unable to swim and gather oxygen.
Often, fishermen leave over 95% of the body to waste, an act that many have questioned with so many people fighting starvation. A solid protein, tossing back sharks is the loss of a food source to many developing countries and a direct waste of valuable shark product.
“Sharks are amazing creatures, they shouldn’t be treated like this,” said Wolken regarding the mistreatment placed on them, “You don’t hear about cows having their limbs chopped off and being left for dead.”
According to oceanicdefense.org, as many as 100 million sharks are killed for their fins annually, creating a multi-billion dollar industry. Just one pound of shark fin can be sold for as high as three hundred US dollars. However, some have argued that revenue brought in from shark tourism is worth far more than shark fins. It is estimated that two million dollars can be brought in from one shark used for tourist purposes (scuba diving, snorkeling, etc.), while one hundred eight dollars is earned from a dead shark.
Although many speak out against shark finning, shark fin soup is a large part of Chinese culture and many are unwilling to give it up. Dating far back into Chinese history, shark fin soup is served at weddings as a symbol of wealth and treatment of guests.
“Its place at Chinese banquets is akin to having turkey at Christmas, and not serving it could be construed as being cheap,” said Wency Leung of The Globe and Mail.
In fact, according to cnn.com, California is the number one importer of shark fins outside of Asia.
“Everyone needs to be aware of it. It is up to the public to speak out against these issues,” stated Wolken.
It is obvious that shark finning is a controversial issue, with Chinese trying to hold on to cultures and traditions and wildlife activists trying to save an entire species.