Shark Attack!

After 409 million years, are sharks really facing extinction?

Sharks’ greatest nemeses are humans!  If more people had an opportunity to see sharks in the open ocean; to witness how they move, how they feed, and how they interact with humans – more people might discover how magnificent sharks really are and see the little risk they truly pose to humans.

Sharks are vital members of the ocean’s ecosystem (a very fragile ecosystem at that).  Sharks are being slaughtered at an unsustainable rate.  The conservation of sharks is imperative.  According to the University of Hawaii – 89million sharks are brutally killed each year. Yes, brutally and barbarically killed by cutting off just their fins and throwing them back into the water – while they are still alive – do die.  Also, they are killed when fishing vessels illegally use fishing practices such as:  longline fishing and the sharks are then snag on the lines and die a slow agonizing death.

Part of the reason why sharks are being killed off at alarming rates, is because of the high demand for Shark Fin Soup by the new wealthy Chinese consumers. The ironic part of Shark Fin Soup – it is made with a chicken or pork base and the shark fin (made completely of cartilage and therefore not able for consumption) is only placed as a garnish.  Because of this demand for the soup the International Union for Conservation of nature (IUCN) shows reports of 50-90% declines in shark populations – depending on the region.

How can we stop this fast track towards extinction?  Well, places like Hawaii are championing groundbreaking legislation to make it illegal to possess, sell or distribute shark fins.   This new law even plugs some of the loopholes which were in previous legislation – that made Hawaii a shark fin distribution capital for the Pacific.  This type of legislation is far reaching – way beyond the shores of just Hawaii.  Other countries are trying to adopt similar if not stronger legislation for their own countries.  But, supply and demand is the main culprit.

Though Shark Fin Soup is served in China, Chinese restaurants in the USA are also serving the soup.  The Shark Finning Prohibition Act 2002 makes it illegal for US Fishing vessels anywhere to possess the fins of any shark (unless the rest of the carcass is also on board).  It also makes it illegal for any foreign ship in the US territorial waters to possess the fins of any shark (unless the rest of the carcass is on board).  At the federal level, the Shark Conservation Act of 2009 us a major step in prohibiting finning.  Help protect our planet , by protecting sharks.  Educate yourself and help save a vital species to the continued healthy existence of our oceans and our own lives.

Check it out:

Shark Facts : http://dsc.discovery.com/sharks/shark-facts.html

Shark Research Institute:  http://www.sharks.org/

Shark and Marine Conservation:  http://www.bite-back.com/

Global Shark Conservation:  http://www.pewenvironment.org/campaigns/global-shark-conservation/id/8589941059