Shark finning is the cruel practice of cutting off a shark’s limbs and then throwing the body back into the ocean while the shark is still alive. There is no telling the horrific death the sharks face. Without their fins and with open bleeding wounds, they suffocate underwater because they’re unable to swim or are eaten by other sharks who prey on their vulnerable state. The use of shark fins is predominantly in Asia, where it is seen as a delicacy or used in Chinese medicine. It is a symbol of luxury for prosperous events such as weddings and the Lunar New Year. With the sudden economic boom, more and more people can afford such luxuries, but at the expense of 72 million sharks every year.

Insight into the system

There are various ways people in the shark finning industry use to catch sharks. The system is already very efficient, with boats being able to de-fin sharks and dry shark fins all in the same place. Many operations are also hidden under the guise of fish catching, making it very lucrative for the fishermen. 

One way sharks are caught is through longline fishing. It involves attaching a main fishing line to the stern of the boat; a float is then added for identification purposes. This forms a trail of bait near the surface, which targets pelagic sharks and those swimming near the surface. Each long line is up to 10 miles long and has hundreds of hooks. After a few hours, the fishermen reel in the sharks before de-fining them and tossing their bodies back into the ocean. 

Another way sharks are caught is through drift gillnetting, a form of passive fishing where huge swaths of nets are dropped into the ocean as the boat slowly moves forward. The nets straighten out due to the weights and buoys attached, creating a netted prison for the unfortunate creatures that are caught. 

Why is shark finning so difficult to control? What has already been done? 

Shark finning is incredibly lucrative and efficient, making it difficult to stop. Many of these catching schemes occur offshore, too far away from water law enforcement patrols on the coast. Many of the firms working in the shark fin industry rely on middlemen to get from the producer to the consumer; this creates various gray areas where responsibilities seem to flake. 

The problem becomes more dire as sharks have slower reproductive periods than other marine organisms like fish. On average, the gestation period is 12 months, and some sharks even have a gestation period of three years. It is difficult for populations to recover even if the correct legislation is in place.

Legislation against shark finning has made it to international law; some countries have full or partial bans on shark finning and fishing, and certain organizations have banned using sharks in their operations. For example, in 2009 the UK declared that there would be no removal of shark fins at sea by any UK vessel worldwide, while in Hong Kong it was claimed that there would be no shark fin soup at government functions. 

However, the law is frequently broken through bycatch, the unwanted fish, and other marine creatures trapped by commercial fishing nets during fishing for different species. Shark-catching hides from the laws by appearing as bycatch, allowing it to be sold all around the world. 

From a consumer's perspective, eating shark fin or shark meat is probably unknown. To illustrate, in Brazil, communities along the coastline have already been consuming sharks as part of seafood stews. However, in the modern day, shark meat has become part of the diet even cheaper than other white fish meat. This lack of information and distinction between shark and ray meat means the consumer is ill-informed. The Guardian article even jokes that “In Cananéia, locals joke: “It’s cação when you eat it, and shark [tubarão] when it eats you.”. If people knew the origins and type of protein they were eating, they would change their minds.

The stigma against sharks

Sharks have long been stigmatized in the media; films like Jaws have built fear and mystery around these otherwise innocent animals. Many people see them as dangerous, and they see the systematic catching and killing of sharks as beneficial to humans. However, this view does not account for the entire ecosystem; sharks are crucial in maintaining the balance that keeps Earth thriving. 

Fewer sharks mean that their prey populations are allowed to grow uncontrolled; species of rays and fish then feed more frequently on seagrass or kelp forests and vegetation, leading to environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity. The consumption of herbivore coral reef fish ensures that reefs can capture more carbon. Underwater vegetation is key and provides a way to keep sediment down; these sediments hold carbon, according to the WWF, and preventing disruption by eating the organisms that cause debris to move assists in keeping carbon from our atmosphere.

The motion of sharks between the ocean layers actually helps bring nutrients- and oxygen-rich waters up to levels with poorer nutrition; this aids phytoplankton in remaining healthy. Phytoplankton produce more oxygen than redwoods; the underdogs of oxygen production are crucial in this world. In other biogeochemical processes in the underwater ecosystem, shark fecal matter is key in nitrogen fertilizers for underwater vegetation, while the carbon cycle in the ocean is stimulated by their decaying bodies.

What can we do?

Paying homage to culture is one thing, but in the modern day, reinventing culture to fit the new aims of society is also a form of respect. A status symbol should not be derived from the pain and suffering of vulnerable creatures. The key is to raise awareness within communities on shark finning. Regardless if your community consumes shark fins or shark meat, information is a powerful tool to disseminate. Supporting politicians or governments with strong policies against shark finning allows more visibility and gives the sharks a voice. Save the Sharks today!