What is Shark Finning and How does it Affect Marine Ecosystems?

“Shark finning refers to the removal and retention of shark fins and the discard at sea of the carcass” (Sharkwater Productions 2006). Most often, the shark is still alive when it is thrown back into the water, but because it lacks fins, it is unable to swim. The shark sinks to the bottom where it is eaten alive by other fish. Approximately 73 million sharks are killed each year, which equates to over 10,000 sharks killed every hour (Andersen 2011).

 

(Evers, 2011)

Shark fins are primarily used in shark fin soup.  This Chinese delicacy has been around since the Han dynasty formed in 206 BC (Spiegel 2013). However, the soup did not gain widespread appeal in China until the 1980s, which fueled the expansion of the shark fin industry (Spiegel 2013).  From 1991-1993 the price of shark fins doubled (Spiegel 2013). Today, one pound of shark fins, which is only three percent of a shark’s body, can garner up to $300 dollars, while shark meat is much less valuable (Mahr 2010).  In China, shark fin soup is associated with prosperity and good fortune (Andersen 2011).  It was once only served at important occasions like weddings and New Years celebrations, but is now commonly eaten in major cities as a sign of stature (Andersen 2011).   

 

(Gulick 2011) 

Five percent more people consume shark fin soup each year; the soups’ rising popularity is causing a drop in shark populations everywhere (Armstrong 2012).  Over ninety percent of all large sharks off the east coast of North America, such as tiger sharks, hammerhead sharks, and bull sharks, have been decimated (Andersen 2011).  Since sharks are predators at the top of the food chain, they reproduce and mature slower than other marine life (Park 2010).  They do not lay millions of eggs like yellowfin tuna or the ocean sunfish.  When a shark population is overfished, it takes years to engender a few more.  Fisherman will take any shark regardless of age, size, or species (Sharkwater Productions 2006).   This mass eradication of sharks results in the disruption of marine ecosystems.   Sharks are apex predators, which means they are “ecological stabilizers” (Stop Shark Finning 2013). They feed on weak, sick, or injured fish, which helps maintain the genetic health of fish populations (Mahr 2010).  The decline of large shark populations along the eastern seaboard of the United States is indirectly responsible for the decline in shellfish populations.   Cownose rays have proliferated since many of their shark predators have been decimated (Mahr 2010) and these rays have been rapidly consuming shellfish.  Shellfish numbers have declined, and water quality has declined with them because shellfish are responsible for filtering seawater (Stop Shark Finning 2013). If there is no immediate action, the ecosystem will continue to struggle and many species of sharks will be gone forever.

Works Cited 

Armstrong, D. (2012). Shark finning in the EU. Earth Times. http://www.earthtimes.org/conservation/shark-finning-eu/2194/. Earth Times. (Date Accessed: February 20, 2013).

Evers, C. (2011). Shark Fin Soup. Kurungabaa. http://kurungabaa.net/2011/10/15/shark-fin/. Word Press. (Date Accessed: February 20, 2013).

Gulick, S. (2011). Shark Finning, What Does 96% Waste Look Like?  Galapagos Fishing and Marine Life http://hawkfishmedia.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/shark-finning-what-does-96-waste-look-like/.  Hawkfish Media. (Date Accessed: February 20, 2013).

Mahr, K. (2010). Shark-Fin Soup and the Conservation Challenge. Time Magazine. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2021071-1,00.html.
Time Magazine . (Date Accessed: February 20, 2013).

Park, C. (2010). Today on Planet 100: Shark Finning 101. TreeHugger. http://www.treehugger.com/clean-water/today-on-planet-100-shark-finning-101.html.  TreeHugger. (Date Accessed: February 20, 2013).

Shark Angeles. (2011). Looming Extinction. http://sharkangels.org/index.php/issues-facing-sharks/looming-extinction. Shark Angeles. (Date Accessed: February 20, 2013).

Shark Angels. (2011). Shark Fin Soup. http://sharkangels.org/index.php/issues-facing-sharks/shark-fin-soup. Shark Angels. (Date Accessed: February 20, 2013).

Shark Savers. (2013). Finning and the Fin Trade.  http://www.sharksavers.org/en/education/sharks-are-in-trouble/finning-and-the-fin-trade/.  Shark Savers. (Date Accessed: February 20, 2013).   

Sharkwater (2013). Education - Shark Finning Facts. http://www.sharkwater.com/education.htm. Sharkwater Productions. (Date Accessed: February 20, 2013).

Speigel, J. (2013). Even Jaws Deserves to Keep his Fins: Outlawing Shark Finning Throughout Global Waters.  Boston College Law Review. http://www.bc.edu/dam/files/schools/law/lawreviews/journals/bciclr/24_2/07_TXT.htm. Boston College. (Date Accessed: February 20, 2013).

Stop Shark Finning (2013 ). What is Shark Finning? Stop Shark finning. http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/shark-finning.htm. Stop Shark Finning  (Date Accessed: February 20, 2013).