Shark finning is the practice of catching a live shark, slicing off its fins and then dumping the still-living shark back in the ocean where it drowns, bleeds to death or is consumed by predators.
An entire shark takes up a lot of room on a boat so fishermen eliminate the bodies and just keep the shark fins, which is the most profitable part of a shark.
Shark finning is largely illegal, but enforcement worldwide is sorely lacking and is still happening in many parts of the world. Fishing fleets routinely exploit loopholes or ignore regulations altogether, and corrupt authorities often turn a blind eye.
Shark finning occurs worldwide and not just in the high seas. Even protected areas such as the Galapagos, Revillagigedo Islands, Cocos Islands, and the Marshall Islands, are targeted by illegal fisheries.
Shark Fin Soup
Why does shark finning occur? For an Asian soup called shark fin soup.
Shark fin soup is a delicacy that originated centuries ago in China. The soup has been a symbol of wealth and prosperity as it was originally served to Chinese royalty. One bowl can cost as much as $100.
While shark fins give the soup its gelatinous texture, they are flavorless, requiring chicken or fish broth to give the soup flavor. Shark fins were believed to boost sexual potency, increase qi (energy), prevent heart disease and cancer and lower cholesterol, although no medical evidence exists to support these claims.
In fact, shark fins and shark meat contain high concentrations of BMAA (beta-Methylamino-l-alanine), a neurotoxin which causes degenerative brain diseases and methyl-mercury, high levels of which can cause neurological damage.
Demand for shark fin soup has fueled the multi-million dollar shark fin industry and is responsible for many of the estimated 73 million sharks killed every year.
Shark Fin Trade Around The World
Hong Kong, along with Malaysia, Singapore and China account for 90% of global shark fin imports.[1] While the major suppliers of shark fins include: Indonesia, Spain, India, Mexico, the United States, Argentina, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brazil, there are more than 100 countries involved in the shark fin trade.
A study published in 2017 analyzing fins in the Hong Kong markets identified fins from 71 different species of sharks, one third of which were listed in threatened categories by the IUCN.[2] While consumption of shark fin soup has fallen by about 80% in China, there is an alarming rise in consumption in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Macau.[3]
While Covid-19 has taken a toll on world economies, the shark fin trade is flourishing. In May 2020, customs officials in Hong Kong made the biggest shark fin seizure in Hong Kong’s history: 26 tons of fins, contained in two shipping containers from Ecuador, cut from the bodies of 38,500 endangered sharks and worth about $8.6 million.[4] In Indonesia, many people who have lost work due to the pandemic have returned to the shark fin industry.[5]
Ecological Impact
Sharks are being removed from the ocean at a rate 30% faster than they are able to reproduce resulting in 25% of shark species considered threatened with extinction.
Beyond the immediate cruelty and sustainability concerns, shark finning has broader ecological implications. As apex predators, sharks play a crucial role in maintaining the health of marine ecosystems. Their removal can lead to trophic cascades, where the absence of sharks disrupts the balance of marine life, affecting other species and the overall health of the ocean.
Stop Shark Finning
There are many countries around the world that have enacted shark conservation measures with full or partial bans on the practice of shark finning and shark fishing. Sadly, in spite of this legislation, sharks are still not being protected and in many cases this is due to loopholes in shark conservation laws.
You can help stop shark finning by showing your support to US Congress. Use your voice and show your support here.
[1] Xiang, Yap Wan. “Malaysia Is The World’s Second Largest Shark Fin Importer Outranking Singapore And China.” SAYS, September 18, 2019. https://says.com/my/news/after-hong-kong-malaysia-is-world-biggest-importer-of-shark-fin.
[2] Fields, Andrew T., Gunter A. Fischer, Stanley K. H. Shea, Huarong Zhang, Debra L. Abercrombie, Kevin A. Feldheim, Elizabeth A. Babcock, and Demian D. Chapman. “Species Composition of the International Shark Fin Trade Assessed through a Retail‐Market Survey in Hong Kong.” Society for Conservation Biology. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, December 15, 2017. https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cobi.13043.
[3] Hermesauto, “Even as China Says No to Shark Fin Soup, Dish Gaining Popularity Elsewhere in Asia,” The Straits Times (Washington Post, February 15, 2018), https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/even-as-china-says-no-to-shark-fin-soup-dish-gaining-popularity-elsewhere-in-asia.
[4] Hong Kong customs and Excise department – Press release. (2010, June 18). Retrieved February 26, 2021, from https://www.customs.gov.hk/en/publication_press/press/index_id_2906.html
[5] McDonald, J. (2020, September 06). Why is the SHARK-FIN trade buoyant even as COVID-19 Sinks economy? Retrieved February 26, 2021, from https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3100326/why-shark-fin-trade-buoyant-while-covid-19-sinks-global-economy