Sharks are worth more alive than in soup
As fans of sharks and supporters of ocean conservation, we are horrified at the thought of sharks being killed in large numbers for their fins. It seems incredibly wasteful, cruel and senseless and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that sharks are in trouble and the shark fin industry is driving this demand.
Shark slaughter on a huge scale
We saw the terrible pictures and videos from a Japanese factory dock of thousands of shark corpses piled up, waiting to be finned – all done on an industrial scale. We don’t know if any of them are endangered or if they were caught by indiscriminate and harmful methods.
But this is just a tip of the iceberg. Worldwide, 100 million sharks are killed every year.
The practice of shark finning to supply the demand for fins in Asia is huge and it is very lucrative for those who benefit.
The fight against shark fin
The battle against shark finning has been fought on both the supply and demand fronts. On protecting sharks, laws have been established to outlaw either the killing of sharks or the sale of their fins.
Hawaii became the first state to ban shark fin. This move has been applauded and everyone involved in this campaign deserve to be congratulated. Lets hope they’re the first for others to follow.
Palau and The Maldives have declared their oceans shark sanctuaries. Sharks within sanctuaries are protected from fishing.
To fight the demand-side of the shark fin war, campaigners and environmentalists have worked tirelessly to educate, raise awareness and discourage people from consuming shark products. There are some positive signs that strides are being made in Asia and in the rest of the world.
Appreciating sharks – ALIVE
On the third front, there are those who appreciate sharks and the oceans. They spend their money and time to encounter sharks through their travels, dives and recreational activities. Because of these people, the dive industry and nature-driven tourism brings in money. In addition, enthusiasts watching DVDs and appreciating sharks from the comfort of their homes (because we can’t be out in faraway oceans all the time) play their part in creating a demand for keeping these animals alive and well.
For shark spotters, divers and encounters with sharks create a respect and love of the oceans and marine life in the participants. It’s no coincidence that both Palau and The Maldives are famous for diving and ecotourism. They’ve caught on that sharks are worth more alive than dead. Consequently, former shark-fishing economies in many shark tourist hotspots have turned to shark-watching and away from killing.
Those who’ve experienced sharks alive and up close will say it’s an incredible and unforgettable experience. And it’s impossible to comprehend how one of these animals could be killed for a few lousy bowls of soup. You could say, give a person a bowl of soup, it’s a meal but if you take a person shark-watching, it’s a lifetime’s respect and admiration for sharks.
Lets appreciate these incredible and beautiful animals and help them have a long and healthy existence.
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[...] Another important aspect of the movement to ban shark finning is the the collective and individual efforts of many ocean enthusiasts. These are the thousands of divers, surfers, marine life fans and the campaigns created on Facebook and other social media. To meet this powerful and loud lobby, businesses of all size have allied with shark conservation organizations. It is well known that responsible consumers in diving, surfing, and travel will spend their money on products and services that help sharks. Also, those of us who’ve used the services of and worked in the industry are more than aware that ocean conservation makes up an important part of the education and marketing side of watersports. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out sharks are worth more alive than in a lousy bowl of soup. [...]