Shark fin soup is a gelatinous mixture of the dorsal and pectoral fins from various species of shark, driving a multi billion dollar trade in shark fins.
Over 73 million sharks are killed annually, primarily for their fins. "Finning" is the practice of slicing off the fins of a shark and discarding the body at sea, leaving the shark to drown or bleed to death. Although substitutes are available to mimic the desired cartilaginous texture, the status symbol associated with shark fins continue to drive the market.
Declines of up to 90 percent have already occurred in some species, largely because of this unsustainable demand for shark fins and a lack of adequate finning bans. Late sexual maturity and small litter size simultaneously work against shark populations as they are continually fished out of the ocean at a much greater rate than their populations can recover from.
As top predators, sharks serve a crucial role in the top down regulation of ecosystem dynamics. Removing this critical piece from the puzzle will set off a chain reaction where effects are felt across the spectrum of marine species. In other words, every species in the marine web suffers if shark populations suffer.
While finning bans exist in many countries, these bans have been mostly unsuccessful in preventing finning due to enforcement challenges. In the United States, the Shark Conservation Act (S.850) aims to strengthen the U.S. ban on shark finning. The bill has already passed the House of Representatives and the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and now awaits consideration by the full Senate. Efforts are also being taken to limit the consumption of shark fin soup in the U.S. The D.C. based Animal Welfare Institute is leading an effort to educate consumers about the problems with shark fin soup and discourage restaurant owners from offering the dish. A full list of restaurants selling the soup can be found on the groups website at http://www.awionline.org/sharkfinning.
Comments
I know this is seen in Korea as a delicacy but never fear, I stayed far away.
Thank you for bringing to light the issue of overfishing of sharks and the key place they hold in the ecosystem. Shark finning is a cruel practice and shark fin soup should be banned in the U.S.
Yes, thanks for highlighting this issue! Chinese New Year is coming up in February and shark fin soup is often consumed to celebrate so this article is very timely.
Thank you for giving the plight of sharks some much-needed attention. Much appreciated.
I am a scuba diver and I rarely see sharks and when I do they are so graceful and gentle to be around, not killers. I wish people would get over their fear of these magnificant creatures in our oceans which help to maintain the complex balance of the ocean's ecosystem.
Thank you for writing about shark finning and helping to raise awareness about this practice which is endangering many species of shark. More info also at www.stopsharkfinning.net
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