Fighting for Florida

[Searcaigh]

I was quite privileged to attend the premiere of this movie by Wilson McCourtney last Thursday here in Dubai, thanks to the Emirates Diving Association sponsoring it along with Deep Dive Dubai.

Although I knew about the shark finning trade, I didn't realise this was happening in Florida, and it follows the success of Shark Allies pushing through the Shark Finning Bill as well as addressing other matters that cause Red Tide, which is responsible for killing off a lot of marine life.

I don't know when this will be shown in the US, there is a Kickstarter Page to make this happen and it's at about 60% at the moment, and I know any support will be appreciated.

 

[Jonah Kowall]

Thanks for sharing this film, looks like a worthy cause. I have backed it!

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I wasn't aware of shark finning in FL. That's some sick sick sick stuff...

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Ahhh. So finning is illegal here in the US... But not in the Bahamas... Thus fins are imported.

My guess after a quick Google search.

Thanks searcaigh for bringing this to light.

Shark Finning Legislation — Shark Research Institute

Legislation regarding shark finning. Unregulated finning is destroying shark populations globally and putting our oceanic ecosystems at grave risk. Shark Research Institute (SRI) conducts and sponsors rigorous field research about sharks and uses science-based information to educate and advocate for

www.sharks.org

 

[Searcaigh]

I wasn't aware of shark finning in FL. That's some sick sick sick stuff...

In the film you hear about fishermen arguing for this practice in the meeting with the local government representatives, it's pathetic, but anyway they were overruled.

The chemicals that are sprayed on invasive weed in the lakes are causing horrendous abnormalities in the local fish stocks too.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Ahhh. So finning is illegal here in the US... But not in the Bahamas... Thus fins are imported.

My guess after a quick Google search.

Thanks searcaigh for bringing this to light.

Shark Finning Legislation — Shark Research Institute

Legislation regarding shark finning. Unregulated finning is destroying shark populations globally and putting our oceanic ecosystems at grave risk. Shark Research Institute (SRI) conducts and sponsors rigorous field research about sharks and uses science-based information to educate and advocate for

www.sharks.org

There's a difference between "finning" (the practice of cutting fins off the shark and then dumping the carcass) and harvesting/trading the fins as part of the entire shark. The former has been illegal in the US since I believe the 1990s; the trade of shark fins was being outlawed in a series of state bans shark fins over about the past decade and a federal ban was passed in 2021.

There's definitely shades of gray to it; on the one hand it's generally good sustainable practice to utilize every part of a harvested animal and you'll hear fishermen and fisheries regulators make the argument that eliminating a regulated supply of shark fins harvested as part of the whole animal will increase demand on unregulated fins sourced from elsewhere. With that said, a) the US (and in particular Miami) was a huge transit point for foreign-harvested fins that likely included ones obtained by finning, b) the US shark fishery is small potatoes (the total landing value of the FL commercial shark fishery has been around $750k/year for the last few years by FWC's data, which only keeps a handful of commercial fishing operators in business and not full-time on that fishery), and c) half the value of the fishery is in the fins, meaning the fin trade effectively subsidizes what would otherwise be an unprofitable fishery (about six years ago when I looked I think the fins were going for ~$15 a pound while the meat went for at best ~$1.30 a pound; in some areas the meat was going at sub-dollar values).

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

The scale of the problem is far greater than I realized. Thank you @Searcaigh for posting. I'm no scientist, but my understanding is that a priority of managing an ecosystem requires ensuring the apex predator is thriving, because if that predator is thriving, then everything in the food chain below is doing well. Now this is an oversimplification, I'm sure people with a biology background can point out where this isn't the case, but for us biology simpletons, that's kind of a good guideline, no?

 

[Searcaigh]

I'm happy t say that the Kickstarter amount has been reached and this film should be viewed soon at a place near you, I've honestly no idea the how's and where's etc., but please look out for it.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

The chemicals that are sprayed on invasive weed in the lakes are causing horrendous abnormalities in the local fish stocks too.

Not just in the local fish population, I would wager...

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

those toxic chemicals travel south through the everglades into Florida Bay, and out to the reefs, causing corals to die, and and Florida Bay to have algae blooms..

The whole agriculture industry should be cut way back. But that ain't gonna happen any time soon. They are too strong and have allies erh, paid our elected officials off...