From: Is this really necessary?

The early humans are claimed to have originated in East Africa. They survived on an inland diet based on land huntings but by 70,000 years ago their diet had changed to a coastal one, consisting largely of shellfish. Dramatic climate change at this period may have significantly reduced the Red Sea’s shellfish stocks and their exclusive appetite for seafood, caused them to leave Africa in search of new fishing grounds.

In order to fish in deeper waters, spears were replaced wih pieces of bone and were used as hooks and lengths of vine as line. The oldest known painting of an angler using a rod or staff comes from Egypt and history dates it from about 2000 BC. But little is known about the beginnings of shark fishing. However, this would require more sophisticated accessories with the need of larger boats, and larger angling devices.

China has long history of fishing shark, which historical records date back several hundred years. Shark fishing methods vary between regions and targeted species. Fishing operations can be divided into longline, “brother” angling, set gillnet, drift net and trawling. Thus this is where the beginnings of shark consumptions can be traced.

In ancient China shark was used as a medicine and a nourishing food believing that it can help people to alleviate swelling and stasis in their bodies, relieve all kinds of poison arising from fish, kill parasites and help recover from weakness.Shark meat contains a lot of proteins, unsaturated fatty acids and many kinds of minerals. In China shark meat can be cooked in different ways such as fried, soup and fish balls. Shark fin, lip and cartilage can be dried and become valuable dishes at superior banquets.Sharkskin is as rough as sandpaper and is used for producing leather. In the area of Fujian and Zhejiang Provinces, sharkskin soup is a famous and expensive dish and served usually at special occasions such as weddings and banquets as a symbol of wealth and prestige.

This, however, have changed. Today it is a gourmet food on sale, for up to US$150 a bowl, in specialist restaurants worldwide. Such is the demand for fins and the remuneration so great, unscrupulous fishermen catch sharks, cut off their fins and throw their living bodies back into the sea, where they cannot move or swim and either starve to death or drown. Now rather than fishing, the trade is finning.

Raw shark fins are processed by first removing the skin, trimming them to shape, and thoroughly drying them. They may be bleached with hydrogen peroxide before drying to make their colour more appealing. Shark fins are the cartilaginous pectoral and dorsal fins of a shark. A third of all fins imported to Hong Kong come from Europe. Shark’s fins are sold in two forms – frozen and dried. Both need to be softened before they can be used to prepare soup. The frozen form is ready to use as it has been pre-prepared and therefore only requires about an hour of soaking. There are two types of the dried form, skinned (shredded) or un-skinned (whole) which require more preparation.

Creating the soup is difficult because the fins must be cooked for a very long time until they separate into needles of cartilage that look like clear noodles. The fin itself has no taste, but is served with a broth of chicken, ham, and shiitake that it absorbs. There are six stages to preparing shark fin soup. The steaks need at least 14 hours in preparation, before one can start with the meal preparation.

Shark fin soup is erroneously considered an aphrodisiac or regarded as beneficial to one’s health, although studies have shown no healthful benefits. Ironically, the methods used to prepare shark fin soup reduce the water content of the fin, which concentrates numerous chemical impurities. Shark fins studied at the University of Hong Kong contained 5.84 parts per million (ppm) of mercury, compared to a maximum permitted level of 0.5 ppm. The high presence of mercury was confirmed in independent tests conducted by two state-related labs in Thailand, and the findings are also reflected in US, Australian, and New Zealand governmental reports. This means that eating shark fins could render men sterile due to the high mercury content.

So what is the controversy? Some claim that shark fishing is the reason for the decline and that the market for fins has very little impact, others say that shark fin soup is the main reason for the decline in some shark populations. Sharks are caught for their fins and/or meat all over the world. Shark meat is worth very little, so the finless and often still-living sharks are thrown back into the sea to make room on board ship for more of the valuable fins.

NBA star Yao Ming pledged to stop eating shark fin soup at a news conference on August 2, 2006. Yao’s comments drew a reproach from seafood industry associations. Australian naturalist Steve Irwin was known to walk out of Chinese restaurants if he saw shark fin soup on the menu. However,his act did not stop hundred of millions of other diners who continue to walk into those restaurants and have their bowl of shark’s fin soup. Based on the above estimation of 10-100 million of shark are slaughtered each year for their fins and each fin can make about 10 bowl of shark fin soup, with each shark having about three fins, and on average a person eat twice per year, the consumers amount to about 150 – 1500million.

So, what do I have to say? Personally, finning is brutal and must be condemned. Therefore, this controversial delicacy should be banned too either personally or by groups and organizations. Then, there are those who fish sharks as for sport fishing who claims that they do it infrequently and thus do not contribute to the dwindling numbers of sharks.

My say, if done so infrequently then why do it in the first place! And if done frequently enough, then the individual is contributing to the failure of balance in the ecosystem. Sharks are at the apex of the food chain and thus are not meant to be eaten. They are there for the balance. Humans are also at the apex of the food chain and do we condone eating each other? What if there was another higher being eating humans for our organs or hunting us for fun, would you keep silent over it? Just because we cannot hear the sharks, this does not mean we can continue to slay them out of greed, pride and or thrill!!!