Shark-Finning Puts Species on Verge of Extinction

[HuckleB]

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/09/video-shark-finning/

"It’s estimated that as many as a million sharks a year are killed just for their fins.

Shark-finning is a cruel practice. Sharks are caught on long lines, or in nets, regardless of size or species. The shark is often stabbed or clubbed, to be less of a threat to the fisherman. The shark’s fins are then cut off and the shark is thrown back into the water, alive, to be eaten by other fish as it sinks to the bottom.

Shark-finning has increased over the past decade for a number of reasons, including increasing demand for shark-fin soup and traditional cures, improved fishing technology and improved market economics, according to the conservation group Shark Water.

Local Asian markets in the United States and Europe supply shark fins to eager customers. And shark fins are increasingly found in other products such as energy drinks, pet supplies, makeup, vitamins and homeopathic medicines.

..."

Read More http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/09/video-shark-finning/#ixzz10BF05dYp


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Ugh!

:mad:

[driver8]

1. A million??????

Holy shit...

This makes me sick to my stomach to think about.

[HuckleB]

5. I'm with you there.

[Bragi]

2. Hopefully sharks will last longer than us

As we move briskly towards our own extinction due to environmental stupidity, maybe sharks and SOME other wildlife will catch a break and outlive us. I hope so for their sakes.

Once we're gone, presumably the planet will re-stabilize.

[izquierdista]

3. Homeopathic medicines?

One shark could supply the world for the next 10,000 years at a dilution of 100X. A small shark. Like the ones they sell in fish stores.

[HuckleB]

4. Apparently, the homeopaths want to make fresh water from their salt water kills.

[Leftist Agitator]

6. I'm with you... Why not just kill the damn things and sell the meat?

Shark is delicious. If harvesting the fins is going to kill the animal, why let the rest of it go to waste?

[flvegan]

7. But it tastes good, so screw them and this planet.

Sharks have been around for 500 some-odd million years, so they've had a good enough run. And hey, if we can fuck up an entire ecosystem at the same time, more power to us.

GO HUMANS!! w00t!

:eyes:

[pitohui]

9. also shark's fin soup does NOT taste good

i have tasted it and it's medicinal, it's not good, the whole thing is just a tragedy, it's being done for superstitious fear of cancer (see my other post)

[pitohui]

8. i had a small win here, got someone to stop

i got a friend to stop ordering shark fin soup after explaining that the whole shark is not used, the animal is put back and left to die

a story was started that sharks don't get cancer, hence creating this magical idea that is getting marketed that if we eat the shark somehow then we won't get cancer, it is completely unscientific and ridiculous but my friend's dad died a terrible death of cancer so the fear got to him

people are drinking this based on emotion not logic so you have to appeal to their emotions to get them to stop

what would really help is if somebody posted a photo of some shark that had cancer or another illness, to put this superstition to bed

my friend never orders the shark fin soup now, so it's a tiny victory but we need more

[HuckleB]

10. Good work! It's not easy to do.

This is a good piece on the shark cancer issue.
http://www.science20.com/science_paradise/busting_marine_myths_sharks_do_get_cancer

[pitohui]

11. this is a GREAT link, thank you!!!!

i have bookmarked it

i know too many otherwise intelligent people who still firmly believe sharks don't get cancer, sigh...

[HuckleB]

12. You're welcome!

:toast: