Shark Finning: The Oceans Downfall
The saying, “plenty of fish in the sea” is mostly true, except when it comes to sharks. Sharks are the ocean’s most valuable animal and their time on earth is running out. Sharks have been around for nearly 20 million years and they hold one of the highest positions in the oceanic ecosystem. Unfortunately, humans only see sharks as killing machines and it is this misconception that is leading to their demise.
You might be asking yourself how the world’s top apex animal can be going extinct; the blame falls to a new, more dangerous predator. Humans.
Every day, all around the world sharks are being fished into extinction. Shark finning is the most common technique for fishing sharks. The process of shark finning involves removing the fins of the shark and throwing it back into the ocean. This method was adapted to save space on fishing vessels and to leave room for more shark fins. Sharks are thrown off the boat, bleeding and sinking to their death. This issue is highlighted in a series of films by the late Rob Stewart.
Most of the shark finning catch goes into a dish called shark fin soup. This soup is considered to be a delicacy around parts of Asia and the act of shark finning could be argued as a cultural tradition. But is it really worth the extinction of sharks? The answer is no.
Shark meat contains a high level of mercury, which is carcinogenic and therefore dangerous to humans. Side effects of mercury poisoning can include: muscle weakness, nausea, kidney problems, cancer, respiratory failure, and death. (Cunha, 2019). The other problem with shark fin soup is the unsustainability of it. Sharks do not reproduce as quickly as most fish. They do not reach sexual maturity until the age of six and they only produce one or two pups per gestation period. A gestation period for a shark is roughly a year. More sharks die every day than are born.
In the present day, shark finning is the leading cause of death for sharks all around the world; “overfishing is the biggest threat. An estimated 100 million sharks are killed each year, mostly to supply demand for an expensive Chinese dish called shark fin soup.” (National Geographic, 2019).
While it feels impossible for one person to stop a continent-wide tradition; Rob Stewart said otherwise. Rob Stewart, a marine biologist, and filmmaker was the leader of the anti-shark finning movement. Stewart was the director and creator of the film Sharkwater. This film brought to light the devastating impact of shark finning. It helped to achieve policies and create conservation groups worldwide. The film was only the start; before Stewart died in 2017 he said, “the animal we fear the most, is the one we cannot live without.” (Stewart R. in Sharkwater, 2006). Stewart believed that even with the success of his film, sharks were still being fished to extinction.
Sharkwater is the first installment of a three-part series. The series was created to help people understand the importance of sharks to ocean conservation. The films highlight the playful and curious nature of sharks; as well as their ability to peacefully interact with humans. Although Stewart has passed, his team has continued to do his work, producing the third and final film “Sharkwater Extinction.” Sharkwater Extinction is out now and available through their website https://sharkwater.com/. A world without sharks is a world with a broken ecosystem. Please help to support these gentle creatures that are battling extinction. In the words of Rob Stewart, “conservation is the preservation of human life. And, that, above all else is worth fighting for.” (Stewart R. in Sharkwater, 2006). I encourage you to watch the films and expand your traditional knowledge of the ocean’s most valuable animal. Join the fight to conserve sharks, conserve the ocean, and conserve human life.
