Shark Fin Soup a Meal of the Past?

Posted on July 29, 2019 by bansharkfinning

Is Shark Fin Soup a meal of the past? With the shark conservation movement gaining a larger platform through social media services you would think that of Shark Fin Soup is a meal of the past in the United States. Unfortunately, it is not a meal of the past quite like you would think.

The Animal Welfare Institute says that as many as 200 restaurants throughout the United States serve Shark Fin Soup. 200!! Landlocked states like Arizona have at least four restaurants that serve Shark Fin Soup. There are only 12 states in the United States that ban the sale of Shark Fin Soup. The United States needs to be better!

I urge you to stop going to these restaurants and write to their owners to encourage removing Shark Fin Soup from their menus. Write letters to governors, mayors, and other local legislators to ban the sale of Shark Fin Soup in your state!

AWI Say No to Shark Fin Soup Logo

Shark Fin Soup has caused, and is continuing to cause, dangerous imbalances in marine communities worldwide.

Read the full article by The Maritime Executive here.

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Forbes’ Top Shark Conservation Stories of 2018

Posted on December 28, 2018 by bansharkfinning

Forbes’  list of the top shark conservation stories of 2018 is a great look at the leaps and bounds shark conservation has taken in recent years. Conservation has moved to the forefront of the public arena with the help of Twitter, Instagram, and blogging.

The top shark conservation stories cover a broad range of categories including Science’s piece on international agreements to learn more about Greenland Sharks, climate change impacts on shark populations by , the Mediterranean shark finning ban approval (woo hoo!), and more.

If you’re looking for a review of the top shark conservation stories of 2018 or need a place to start your research process to learn more about shark conservation then click here to read the article by Forbes contributor Melissa Cristina Márquez.

LUIS JAVIER SANDOVAL / GETTY IMAGES

Swimming Bull Shark by Luis Javier Sandoval.

 

 

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Sharks don’t get cancer? FAT CHANCE!!

Posted on July 8, 2009 by bansharkfinning
Shark Fin Cartilage Powder

Shark Fin Cartilage Powder

“… more than 40 tumors had been documented in sharks, skates and rays,” reported by researchers at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington D.C.

A study done by the George Washington Medical School found that shark fin does not in fact help keep  from getting cancer or other sicknesses. Shark fins have in fact been used for thousands of years in Africa and Asia. The shocker? The use of shark fin remedies has moved to the West with increasing popularity. Another shocker? “Clinical studies on cancer patients, including a 1998 study by the Independent Cancer Treatment Research Foundation in Illinois, haven’t shown cartilage powders to have any anti-cancer benefits.”

What else?” Cancer Research UK, an independent cancer-research organization, states “We don’t recommend alternative therapies such as shark cartilage, as there is no scientific or medical evidence to back up the claims made for these ‘treatments’.”

Moral of this story: Shark fins are tasteless and provide no medical benefit at all! They’re only beneficial when attached to the Sharks they come from.

Read this article: Understand how useless Shark Fin meds are here!

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.. fisherman (or villain) single handedly kills almost 60 Hammerhead Sharks in two trips..

Posted on May 21, 2009 by bansharkfinning

You call yourself a fisherman?

Here’s a brief summary of the article (in my own, very biased words): Fisherman goes out to sea. Fisherman catches a beautiful predator. Fisherman kills beautiful predator. Fisherman gets another notch in his belt  via world record submission/death of an innocent predator. Fisherman FAILS in everyone’s but his own eyes.

Now let’s be realistic, my desire to vent is over and I’m prepared to be fair. Are Hammerhead Sharks aggressive? Yes they are.

That’s all I have for now. I’m having writer’s block and will add more as soon as it goes away. There’s so much to say about this atrocious act and I can’t seem to put it into words.

1,060-pound great hammerhead shark off Boca Grande, Fla. for a world record submission by Capt. Bucky Dennis

1,060-pound Great Hammerhead Shark off Boca Grande, Fla. for a world record submission by Capt. Bucky Dennis

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“…when sharks die, the oceans die.”

Posted on April 20, 2009 by bansharkfinning

“More than 3,800 sharks were caught every 20 minutes to meet global demand for shark fin, pushing many shark species towards extinction.” -Louis Ng, Founder of Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES)

A rally in Singapore opened to help decrease the demand for shark fins as well as spread the word that it is putting many species of sharks on the edge of extinction. The demand for shark fins has risen in Singapore has reason due to a growing economy. Luckily, not all of the younger generation in Singapore isn’t buying into it. Many couple who are getting married or hosting banquets are forgoing shark fin soup despite outcry from parents and guests.

The impact of overfishing for shark fins is blatant in the ecosystems of the oceans around the world. Species of fish are failing to thrive because of the mass requirement for shark fins and it will continue to be detrimental unless advocates of sharks speak up.

When visiting a restaurant that serves shark fins just say “I’ll pass” or “No thank you” … Say instead, “I’ll pass on the shark because eating it would only further profit the individuals that take pride in depleting the ocean of it’s foremost predator. Did you know….?”

Saying “Did you know…?” is the best way to get people’s attention … It’s like a trigger in people’s brains that says “HEY! She/He might be saying something cool! Wake up!” Then say something really interesting about sharks and open the window to tell someone about how being a shark advocate is a great way to join the GREEN movement and how our world would benefit from Sharks in the water.

Advocate for sharks because no matter what you are or what you eat you should not have to suffer at the bottom of the ocean (finless) for days, waiting for death because you can’t breath. I don’t know about you, but knowing I saved a life by educating someone else is a pretty cool feeling.

What if someone did this to your most beloved pet? The only difference is that this species is a major player in the oceans' ecosystem

What if someone did this to your most beloved pet? The only difference is that this species is a major player in the oceans' ecosystem

Here’s the article!

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“The one animal that we fear the most is the one we cannot live without.”

Posted on April 10, 2009 by bansharkfinning
Whale Shark in the waters near Útila, Honduras

Whale Shark in the waters near Útila, Honduras

It’s best to have all of your facts straight!! Taking a stand on something requires a large amount of knowledge. Not just knowledge on why you believe what you believe, but knowledge on how to defend yourself against the opposing view.

If you can spare some time please watch the documentary titled Sharkwater. It will help clear up some preconceived notions about sharks and people as well. It is truly shocking. I have yet to see another film that is as moving. Sharkwater Trailer This documentary will change your life. Without a doubt.

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Shark Fin Soup … Still a Delicacy?

Posted on April 6, 2009 by bansharkfinning

It has been a long struggle to reduce the amount of shark’s fin soup served or requested in Asia as well as other places in the world. However, all of the work seems to be paying off. The younger generation in China has become more aware of the environmental impact not only on sharks but other marine life as well. “Global entertainment giant Disney bowed to pressure from animal rights activists and took the delicacy off its menu when it opened Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005.” Just think, not ordering shark’s fin soup for a wedding or in a restaurant can help save millions and millions of lives!

Here are some numbers on the decline of sharks’ fins:

  • 800,000 metric tons of shark fins demanded (1 metric ton = 2204.62 pounds)
  • 20% of shark species are endangered in relation to this demand
  • Reduction of shark fin demand worldwide: 897,000 metric tons in 2003 to 758,000 in 2006

Ralph Jennings and Cheong Kah Shin have done an excellent job in relaying this information in this article, link here.

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