Horrible

[Trigger Man]

I think we both were watching the same documentary during shark week on the Discovery Channel. It is messed up, and I agree that unless those select few countries change their buying ways there will always be corruption and the senseless killing. I guess it all comes back to good ol economics, if there is demand someone will fill the supply.

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

The majority of sharks fins have great value to only a select few countries. Really just one or two. This is the very sad part. They are being slaughtered all over the world in countries that would never otherwise kill sharks if there was not the demand from another part of the world.

In Costa Rica for example, the problem has gotten so bad that government has been "bought out" and turns they're heads to the problem and in return have roads and schools built by the "shark fin mafias". Illegal shark finning is now a bigger industry than cocaine worldwide. More money to be gained from it.

Even worse is many countries stance (or lack there of) on the issue including our own (Canada will still will not sign the treaty to protect sharks and maybe that makes sense since many other counties would see this as very hypocritical as they see our Salmon and Seal collecting as very inhumane at times...There is a reason Europe will not buy Canadian Salmon but thats another issue )

The reason the entire shark is left is because again in those select few countries, ONLY the fin has any value. Pressure needs to be put on the demand countries because so far trying to stop the finning is useless. On the planet in peril documentary a very successful poacher who travels all over hunting animals illegally said he would be out of business if it were not for ONE country. He said he can take any animal there and find demand.

Another sad part of all this is how many other fish are killed for no reason. They often use miles and miles of baited hooks that catch hundreds of different species of fish near the surface. Then go along in boats and look for sharks, hack the fins off and leave the rest of them along with all the other fish they have "caught". It was likened to if hunters were allowed to set miles and miles of bear traps in the forest to hunt bears but these bear traps caught all kinds of dear, moose, rabbits ect. which were all left to die on that spot because all they wanted was bear...obviously this would not be allowed to happen the there would be huge campaigns to stop it. Too often what happens in the ocean is out of sight and out of mind.

[rstar]

I watched Sharkwater as well. and i think alot of it has to do with the fact that Sharks have always been portrayed to be monsters who will kill you in a heartbeat. No one has sympathy for them. I am totally sickened by sharkfinning. I think its a disgusting practice, as is shark fin soup. I think one of the stats has been like a 80 or 90% reduction of the worlds sharks... It has got to stop....

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by rstar

I watched Sharkwater as well. and i think alot of it has to do with the fact that Sharks have always been portrayed to be monsters who will kill you in a heartbeat. No one has sympathy for them. I am totally sickened by sharkfinning. I think its a disgusting practice, as is shark fin soup. I think one of the stats has been like a 80 or 90% reduction of the worlds sharks... It has got to stop....

Yes its a huge number.

The documentary has a really nice line about how sharks have survived 450 million years (modern sharks 100 million though) on this planet through all kinds of disasters and climate changes but the one thing they can't survive is people.

[Jay180reef]

Absolutely disgusting.
It could take 15 years for the Asian market demand for shark fin to stop, but only if western governments ban it now and speak out! Every year that we delay, the shark populations will continue to dwindle.
Awareness is only the beginning, we should try our best, especially as reefkeepers to be the voice of oceanic issues! Email your MP!

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by Jay180reef

Absolutely disgusting.
It could take 15 years for the Asian market demand for shark fin to stop, but only if western governments ban it now and speaks out! Every year that we delay, the shark populations will continue to dwindle.
Awareness is only the beginning, we should try our best, especially as reefkeepers to be the voice of oceanic issues! Email your MP!

Its clear that the only way the demand is going to stop at this point is when they go extinct. China has made it VERY clear they have no intention of helping with the situation. No matter what they have said over the years, they're action speak louder than words. Whether it be how they treat captive black bears only for bile or the shark finning. Its just not fair to the rest of the world in this case.

[untamed]

If others have not done this, I highly recommend it.

A few years ago I found myself in a restaurant and saw shark fin soup on the menu. As loudly as I could I explained that I would not eat at the restaurant and I dragged my entire table of people out with me. I doubt it made one bit of difference, but I felt good for a few seconds.

[Jay180reef]

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

Its clear that the only way the demand is going to stop at this point is when they go extinct. China has made it VERY clear they have no intention of helping with the situation. No matter what they have said over the years, they're action speak louder than words. Whether it be how they treat captive black bears only for bile or the shark finning. Its just not fair to the rest of the world in this case.

Thanks for the reality check, but I'm just not ready to be pessimistic and complacent. I have lots of environmental cliches if you need some motivation!

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by Jay180reef

Thanks for the reality check, but I'm just not ready to be pessimistic and complacent. I have lots of environmental cliches if you need some motivation!

LOL. Thats not even close to being complacent. Why would you think I am happy with that scenario? I have met and spoken to Rob Stewart in Toronto as one of my brothers is good friends with him and trust me, the situation is grim. There is no sense in trying to make it sound hopeful. Unless of course you know of a way to convince 1 billion people to abandon their culture. Ok...saying 1 billion is not quite correct since not everyone in China is eating shark fin and many, many people there comdemn it as well but you get the idea.