People have always been afraid of sharks.  From blockbuster movies of enormous man-eaters to headline news stories of sharks on the attack, it’s hard not to fear these misunderstood creatures. 

But the 10-15 annual human deaths at the jaws of a shark pale in comparison to the 27 million shark deaths that occur each year at human hands.  Shark populations across the world are being decimated, and shark finning is one of the main reasons why.  

Shark finning entails the brutal practice of chopping the fins off of a shark and throwing the creature, often still alive, back into the ocean.  As the shark’s torso sinks to the bottom of the sea its future is as dim as the watery depths.  These sharks experience a very slow, painful death.  Most will starve to death, others will be eaten by other fish, and the rest will drown without the ability to move and thus produce oxygen through their gills. 

Each year over 27 million sharks die at the hands of the shark finning industry.  This assault on the shark population has slaughtered to the point that 20 sharks are listed by the World Conservation Union as endangered species, and the populations of many species have fallen by over 90% since 1972.        

For what reason do people ruthlessly hunt for shark fins?  To make shark fin soup. The soup is a delicacy in China, and a staple at weddings and other banquets, and high demand for this dish means a high demand for the fins that sharks need to survive.  

As fishers continue their hunt for fins, to satisfy this demand, shark populations are being destroyed.  The impact of a diminished shark population isn’t limited to the species alone but also causes serious problems for ecosystems throughout the ocean.  The absence of these apex predators has ripples that reverberate through the entire food chain, including many of the species that humans depend on for everyday consumption.   

But it’s still possible to stop shark finning and keep marine ecosystems intact.  By raising awareness and increasing regulations we can make shark finning, (instead of sharks), a distant memory.  

[Steel Shark Credit: http://www.unitedbyblue.com/sites/default/files/shark1.jpg]