A Few Reasons for Shark Finning Ban - Research Paper Example

Shark fin ban Introduction Shark finning is the horrendous but culturally acceptable act of removing shark fins and discarding the rest of the carcass at sea. Once the fins are chopped off, the victim shark is left to sink at the bottom of the sea unable to swim so they end up eaten by other fish. Fishers of shark fin find it easy to leave the rest of the fish at sea because if its bulk and what they consider low value of shark meat. It is important to mention that fining targets all sharks irrespective of age, size or species. The driver of this trade is high demand for shark fin in Asia for soup and traditional cure purposes with experts estimating 100 million sharks killed annually for their fins in this multi-billion dollar industry. Negative effects of Shark finning Shark finning as a cultural practice has devastating effects on both the species and the environment. The following is a list of known negative impacts: Rapid loss of shark population: With an estimated 100 million sharks across the sub-species killed annually for their fins, this fish type will be fast extinct. Regarded as the kings of natural selection, sharks pre-date the human species by hundreds of millions of years in the evolution ladder and are extremely vulnerable because they take twenty years to attain sexual maturity. At a slow rate and with 100 million deaths to finning each year, restoring the species to previous population is not possible. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Tiger, Dusky and other sharks have fallen in population by 90% with 18-20 species already in the list of endangered marine animals. Unsustainable fishing practice: The huge number of sharks killed through finning and the lack of a selection mechanism where all captured sharks captured have their fins chopped off is depleting the population fast. This makes it hard to practice sustainable fishing because sharks of all sizes and ages are killed in the process. Coupled with the lengthened maturity period for sharks, replenishing the fish population is impossible. Threat to marine ecosystem: Shark meat has been found to contain immense amounts of ammonia and dropping them off to decay at the bottom of the sea is a huge threat to marine life. Even as other fish species feed on shark carcasses, pollution of the ecosystem increases from the decomposition process of dead finless sharks. This causes major environmental degradation to the marine ecosystem. Killing sharks in such massive numbers not only destabilize the marine ecosystem through population, but also brings imbalance since sharks are some of the apex marine predators. Finning from this perspective, therefore, threatens the socio-economic significance of recreational fisheries with loss of food to many developing nations where shark meat is a staple delicacy. The conversation among Asian Americans on shark finning Shark fin soup has been a much loved delicacy by the Chinese for centuries, a meal served at special occasions as a status symbol throughout Asia. In the decades prior to economic boom in China, the soup was only served among few rich individuals but with the current economic boom in china, more people can afford Shark fin soup which makes shark finning extremely unsustainable. Other than Asia, California is the largest market for shark fins, something that has led to a divisive debate among Asian Americans given multiple legislations in California and other parts of the US against shark finning. The shark prohibition Act of year 2000 bans possession of fins without evidence of a Carcass in America but give provision for importation and distribution of fins. California recently introduces an Assembly bill 376 that bans possession, sale trade and distribution of fins within the state (Lee, 13). Similar laws have been passed in Hawaii, Washington and North Mariana but that has stirred huge debate among Asian Americans. Following the signing of this law by the governor of California, Jerry Brown, the Chinatown Neighborhood Association (NCA), a Chinese-American group in San Francisco expressed their intention to challenge the law in court on the grounds of its cultural significance to them (Anonymous).. They cited the loss of $40 million and 300 jobs among merchants of shark fin terming the law discriminatory to the Chinese population in America. Most Chinese Americans in the US and California in particular consider the consumption of shark meat and ban of fins discriminatory but such sentiments are not shared by all Asian-Americans (Sankin, 01). A recent study by Monterey Bay Aquarium revealed that more than 75% participants surveyed with 70 percent of Asian Americans not agreeing with shark finning and supporting the ban. The most famous Chinese basketball player, Yao Ming, is the face of WildAid’s campaign to bring shark finning to an end with his face all over buses in San Francisco (Sankin). Despite immense pressure and protests from Chinese American leaders, the California governor upheld the ban on possession and distribution which presently attracts a jail term of up to six months with fines of $1000. Support came from Korean Airlines that together with Cathay Airways have stopped the transport of shark fin as part of their cargo from Asia. This is a major development in the fight to ban shark finning with Chinese government making announcement that it will phase out fins as part of their meals at official functions. From the debate among Asian-Americans and with the support of the Chinese government, the ban shark finning is likely to be effected in the near future as lovers of the delicacy face tremendous obstacles to enjoy fin soup in America. China’s most authoritative TV channel CCTV has in an unexpected move spent $70 million recently in campaigns against shark finning, a move that was welcomed by Asian-Americans opposed to shark finning. From the available information, there seems to be more support that opposition to the ban on shark finning among Asian-Americans and even Chinese back in China. With growing support among traditional consumers of shark fins, government support to the ban both in America and China, the fight against finning is likely to be won and a sustainable fishing practice of this species established across the world. Reducing demand is a sure entry into eliminating this trade completely as was put by Taylor Jones: "The demand part of the equation is key," said Taylor Jones, endangered-species advocate at WildEarth Guardians. "If people didn't want to eat shark fin soup, there would be no incentive to capture the sharks and take their fins." My argument in support of the ban on shark fin as a cultural tradition, should shark fin be banned Shark fin soups traces its origin from the Ming Dynasty where it was enjoyed by emperors as a status symbol and a sign of power of what was considered a top predator, but that was centuries ago (Bland, 21). Presently, the world is struggling with an exploding population and sharp decline in resources both on land and at sea. It is, therefore, not possible to continue with the merciless killing of this species for a marginal fraction of its piece leaving the rest to rot at the bottom of the sea. It is unacceptable that out of the 100 million sharks killed annually, only a fraction are consumed whole with a majority of the catch left to die at sea. Given the current food security on planet earth with more than half the world population facing acute shortage, it is both morally and environmentally wrong to subject tones of sharks go to waste because of finning. The significance of sharks to our planet goes beyond their rich proteins to a stable ecosystem. Being at the top of the food chain, they keep other fish population proportionate to the capacity of the marine ecosystem and because the ocean has life that absorbs our dangerous carbon dioxide generating 70% of oxygen, it will be the worst act against humanity to fin sharks to extinction (Golby, 61). Recent studies have suggested that elimination of sharks have a ravaging effect down the food chain with victims being the entire fisheries including coral reefs. It’s more like the ocean cannot survive without sharks which make finning, even though important to the Chinese and Asian cultural heritage, a very unsustainable practice. The emerging trend on strict legislation against shark fining is one sure way of eliminating the practice. O far, there is growing momentum among nations and states to enact laws that are stricter on distribution of shark fins. If more countries, especially in Asia, where the practice is deeply rooted were to come up California style laws, in a few years, this cultural practice will be reduced to a large extent and lover of the fin soup will seek alternative delicacies to the benefit of the species and marine ecosystem. The finning problem is not only a Chinese and Asian problem, closer home; Zathoven a conservationist told NBC News that; “Although the shark fin trade focuses on Asia and the Pacific, the conservation campaign extends to the Americas and the Caribbean as well and we want to establish shark and ray protections across all of the Caribbean,” he said. With increased shark havens and conservation marine parks all over the world, there is likely to be a steady improvement in the population of shark. This, however, can only happen if mechanisms are put in place to reduce demand because with high demand, the trade on shark fins will go underground and the fight will never be won. Most Asian cultures advocate for harmony between man and nature, something that must be explored to help educate the Asian populace that the current kill rate of sharks for their fins is a major cause for the ‘harmony’ philosophy and besides, why kill so many sharks for a soup that is enjoyed for only five minutes? It does not make any sense and any rational lover of this delicacy if properly educated, is likely to turn to other food options. It is my belief that the war on shark finning can be won if consumers are reached and educated on its devastating environmental effects. Handling the demand part of this equation is the only sure way of winning the fight against this century’s old cultural practice. With the Chinese government taking lead and committing to eliminate this meal from their tables in three years as reported by NBC News recently, the first step towards total eradication of shark finning has been made and what needs to follow is a massive campaign among consumers. Traders in Chinatown can without doubt, find alternative food o trade in as replacements to shark fin. I support the ban all the way. Effects of overfishing on the environment The anti fin trade legislation in California is one moment when cultural tradition around food has come into conflict with legislation but it is all for a good cause. Even though culture is the founding fabric of the human race, there comes a moment when some practices are overtaken by both events and changing environmental situation, shark fin ban is one such a situation. That having been said, overfishing in general has immense negative environmental effects. Presently, a notable number of fish species have been fished to extinction, something that has led to a deteriorated marine biodiversity. The following are additional negative effects of overfishing (Stewart, 36): Decrease in genetic diversity of fish globally which adversely affects the recycling of nutrients in marine ecosystems. Ecological extinction in scale that supersedes any other human activities in coastal environments like pollution Conclusion The ongoing campaigns across the world beginning with China to back in America have so far yielded results in helping achieve total ban on shark finning. Initiatives by the Chinese government, China’s CCTV, the government of California and other entities like airlines mentioned in this paper, are all making a significant contribution towards conservation efforts. It is important to appreciate that precedence has been set and if the current momentum against shark finning can be maintained for a few more years, then shark finning can be completely eradicate and the species restored to its original glory. Work Cited Anonymous. "SHARK FIN SOUP LEGISLATION TARGETS A CULTURAL DELICACY CULTURE CLASH OVER BOWL OF SHARK FIN SOUP." San Ramon Valley Times [San Francisco, California] 24 Aug. 2011: n. pag. Print. Lee, Tom. "New Bill May Ban Shark Finning." Asianweek [San Francisco, California] 5 July 2000, 44th ed.: 1-11. Print. Golby, Craig. Conservation Education in Shark Ecotourism. Diss. Royal Roads U, 2015. N.p.: ProQuest, 2015. ProQuest. Web. 25 Mar. 2015. Stewart, Rob. "Save the Sharks; The Decimation of the Ocean's Top Predator Will Have Dire Effects on Our Ecosystem." Edmonton Journal [Edmonton, Alberta, Canda] 7 Apr. 2007: n. pag. ProQuest. Web. 26 Mar. 2015. Bland, Alastair. "Why Shark Finning Bans Aren't Keeping Sharks Off The Plate (Yet)." Web blog post. NPR. N.p., 3 Mar. 2015. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. Sankin, Aaron. "Shark Fin Ban Challenged As Discriminatory Against Asians In New Lawsuit (VIDEO)." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. Read More