Shark Finning

Thanks to films like 'Jaws' and sensationalist reporting by the media, many people have come to fear sharks. In truth, on average only 12 people are killed by sharks each year. More people are killed each year by falling coconuts, or by donkeys, or by being struck by lightening whilst playing golf, than by sharks. But did you know that humans are killing millions of sharks each year? Most sharks deaths are through 'finning', a topic which we will explore in this blog post. This post has also been featured on The Global Shark Conservation Initiative's website as a guest blog.

Shark finning is a process that involves the removal and retention of fins from a shark. Shark finning takes place at sea and, as shark meat is considered to be of low value (around US$650 per ton), most fishermen do not consider it worthwhile to transport the bodies. The sharks are hauled on board and the fins are removed, usually whilst the shark is still alive, with the finless body of the shark then being thrown back overboard into the sea. The shark, unable to swim, then sinks towards the bottom and dies through suffocation, blood loss, starvation, or through predation by other species.

This practice is widespread with more than 100 countries involved in the trade of shark fins, and is largely unmonitored and unmanaged. Most countries act as exporters, with the main consumer nations being mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. The United States and the European Union also import significant quantities for use in their local Chinese communities. Where figures exist, they suggest that shark fin trading by Hong Kong accounts for an estimated 50% of all shark fin trading.

Shark finning is a multi-billion dollar industry and chiefly takes place due to the high demand for shark fin soup and traditional cures. Shark fin soup is considered to be an Asian delicacy and can cost as much as US$100 per bowl, with one pound of dried shark fin retailing for US$300 or more. Due to their high value, shark fins are highly prized by fishermen. Consequently, much of the shark fin trade is illegal and often involves organised crime. The trading of shark fins has even been used as a way to launder drug money. The only thing in the world more lucrative than the shark fin industry is the illegal drugs trade.

The increasing demand for fins for shark fin soup, coupled with improved fishing methods and improved market economics, has led to an increase in the number of sharks killed each year. Studies of shark fin markets in Hong Kong have shown that the number of sharks represented is three to four times greater than shark catch figures reported to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). This suggests that much of the shark fin trade is “off the books” of the world’s legal fisheries. Upper estimates suggest that as many as 73 million sharks are caught and finned each year. That’s three sharks every second!

In addition to its rather barbaric nature, shark finning presents several problems. It is a hugely wasteful practice, with the wet fins accounting for less than 5% of the total of a shark’s body weight. The discarded carcasses could provide a valuable protein source, particularly in developing countries. Shark fishing is also an unsustainable fishery. Shark populations decline rapidly when targeted by fisheries as sharks grow slowly, mature late and give birth to few large pups after a long gestation period. Populations recover slowly, if at all, when fished. Shark finning is indiscriminate as any sharks are taken, regardless of species, size or age. Sharks are often caught on longlines, which are the most significant cause of loss to shark populations worldwide. As a result, sharks are now at threat from over-fishing and this is pushing many shark species to the brink of extinction. Since the 1970s, the populations of several species have been decimated by over 95%. Experts estimate that most species of shark will be lost within a decade because of longlining. Sharks are apex predators and scavengers and maintain balance within the marine ecosystem. They play an important role in eliminating diseased and genetically-defective animals and help to stabilise fish populations. The loss of sharks threatens the stability of the marine environment, and also threatens the socio-economically important recreational fisheries.

Shark finning is illegal in several countries and is contrary to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s International Plan for the Management of Sharks. Many areas try to regulate fishing fleets by a fin-to-carcass weight ratio, with several stipulating that fins must arrive in a 5% weight ratio of the shark carcasses on board. Only a few countries demand that sharks arrive in port with fins attached. However, weak legislation and ineffective enforcement often undermines these regulations and fishing fleets routinely ignore them. International seas are largely un-policed and the enforcement of shark finning regulations is sorely lacking worldwide. The high value of shark fins further encourages the exploitation of regulatory loopholes.

Some organisations have called for a complete ban on shark finning on the grounds that it is an inhumane practice, fins provide no flavour or nutrition to shark fin soup (which is commonly flavoured with pork or chicken) and have been shown to contain dangerously high levels of mercury poison, and shark fishing is decimating shark populations with unknown consequences for the marine environment. Government bodies are starting to listen, with California currently awaiting the result of the AB376 Shark Fin Ban Bill. This Bill would ban the possession, trade and sale of shark fins in the State of California. There has been opposition to a complete ban though, with some arguing that it would unfairly target certain cultures. A complete ban would also be difficult to regulate and enforce, with most shark fishing taking place on the high seas. Even if fishermen land the entire shark in compliance with shark finning laws (rather than removing the fins and discarding the bodies at sea), the shark meat is not always marketable and is often sold as fertiliser or for animal feed.

The core issue is that sharks are being fished at an unsustainable rate. Work is being done by many organisations to change public opinion towards shark fishing and therefore reduce demand for shark fins and meat. For example, Sea Shepherd Singapore is running a campaign aimed at decreasing the number of couples offering shark fin soup at their weddings. A successful petition has recently seen the Food Network stop promoting shark meat on its website and network. The AB376 Bill is still being discussed by the Senate Committee in California. Not enough is known about marine ecology to understand what impact the loss of so many sharks will bring about, but there will be consequences. It has become overwhelmingly clear that we must act, and act quickly, to prevent the loss of entire shark species from our oceans.

There are many campaigns worldwide that you can get involved with, if you too are concerned about the future of sharks. If you would like to know more about sharks, shark finning and what you can do to help, why not check out the links below for further information.

http://www.sharksavers.org/
http://www.sharktrust.org/
http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/
http://sharkalliancepetition.org/
Petition to ban the use, sale and import of shark fin products in the UK
Information on the successful petition to the Food Network
Update on the AB376 Bill