Shark Finning and the Dangers it Poses

One major issue currently afflicting the oceans is the vast scale of shark finning. Humans perceive these animals as threats to us despite the horrendous destruction we are causing to their populations. Sharks are only responsible for around 76 attacks and 5 human fatalities in the world each year. Meanwhile, we kill 100 million sharks annually for their fins. This, however, is a conservative estimate and the number could really be as high as 273 million.
           In order to keep shark populations stable, humans can only kill up to 4.9% of sharks annually. However, we are killing far more than the ecosystem can support. An estimated 93-99% of large sharks off the east coast of North America and 90% in the world have already been wiped out. 50 species of sharks are at a “high risk of extinction” according to the IUCN’s Red List of endangered species. Additionally, 63 are soon to be “threatened” and 199  have unknown status, but easily could be endangered.

Why are we killing all these sharks?

Sharks are primarily killed in Asia and Europe so their fins can be used to make shark fin soup. Only the fins are required to make this delicacy so up to 98% of the shark is wasted. Fishermen catch the sharks, cut off the fins, and throw the animals back alive. The shark then sinks to the bottom because it is unable to swim and is left to drown or be eaten by other animals. 
         Many of the shark finning practices are still legal and there are very few areas where it is banned. In places where it is not legal, there is a large black market for the fins which still allows many sharks to be killed.

Shark fins laying out on a rooftop in Asia. 

Thousands and thousands of shark fins. This helps to show the enormous scale of the fishing.

What are the repercussions of shark finning?

Sharks play a vital part in the ecosystem because they are at the top of the aquatic food chain. If shark populations are decreased or are eliminated completely, organisms that are usually killed by sharks will increase in number. If there are more of these fish, they will eat more and their prey organisms will be diminished as well. Overall, ecosystems will become unbalanced because a primary predator is eliminated. 

Additionally, once shark numbers decrease, fisherman will resort to killing other animals as a source of revenue. Already in some places where shark numbers have dwindled, people are selling parts of manta rays and other large fish, severely decreasing their populations.

My Connection


Several weeks ago I travelled to the Bahamas to study sharks. I stayed for 5 nights at the Shark Lab in Bimini. During that time, I learned about sharks and interacted with wild Caribbean reef sharks, bull sharks, lemon sharks, nurse sharks, hammerhead sharks and even got to tag a tiger shark. This experience was very eye opening for me, because, like many people, I was unaware of the troubles afflicting these marvelous creatures. During the trip, I learned about how the mangroves young sharks use as sanctuaries are being destroyed by hotels and other companies. These habitats are vital to their survival and without them, sharks will not be able to survive to adulthood. 

Sharks are important to keep the food web in order.

In addition to the harmful effects on marine life, humans will also be negatively affected in the long run. If there is less marine life and less diversity, humans will no longer be able to profit off marine life. If, however, we learn to fish sustainably, we can both benefit and will be able to live in harmony with the marine world.

Sources:

http://www.seaweb.org/resources/briefings/marinebio.php

http://natgeotv.com/ca/human-shark-bait/facts

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/how-many-sharks-do-humans-kill-hour
http://sharkangels.org/issues-facing-sharks/looming-extinction

http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2013/03/01/100-million-sharks-killed-every-year-study-shows-on-eve-of-international-conference-on-shark-protection/