Say "No" To Shark's Fin Soup!

[Rick Murchison]

I dont belive that stopping will effect the amount of sharkfin soup being sold.

You are wrong, my young friend. Demand is made one customer at a time. Just little old you stopping will influence the market a finite amount. String together just a few of you and that finite amount will become a "measureable" amount. If a few string together a few, the effect will put some boats to catching something else more profitable. But it all starts with one person saying "no." Won't you join me, and make it two?
S

 

[Scubaroo]

But im sorry, I like it. Its good, me IMO I dont belive that stopping will effect the amount of sharkfin soup being sold.

a) Shark fin soup doesn't get it's flavor from shark fins. It's from chicken stock. The shark fin component is purely a "prestige" ingredient.

b) As per my previous post, if YOU stop eating shark fin soup as a SINGLE INDIVIDUAL, it WILL affect the amount of shark fin soup being sold, by exactly the amount you would have otherwise bought! Next time you're somewhere serving shark fin soup, and somone else goes to order it, your decision not to eat shark fin soup and a rational explanation about why you're choosing not to order shark fin could easily influence others to abstain, and it snowballs from there. You know, think globally, act locally?

Lastly, sharks are an overutilised resource. In 50 years, when you're 66 not 16, your kids or grandkids will want to know if you ever saw a shark, because at the rate we're fishing for them today, they're going the way of the dodo. Think independently and do some research on shark populations and reproductive rates, and you might realise what sort of problem you're contributing towards. I can't believe that someone your age has such a couldn't-care-less attitude towards the environment - a generation of people with your mindset will shut this planet down.

 

[Ed_Dman]

Listen, I know what youre saying. I may be 16, you may think because of my age Im a moron. But honestly, do you truely believe that if I were to stop eating sharkfin soup that people would stop doing it? No people will always do it, and its sad, I agree. But im sorry, I like it. Its good, me IMO I dont belive that stopping will effect the amount of sharkfin soup being sold. Im sorry if I offended any of you, I will stop posting here. Contrary to what most people think. I did not post here to troll, I simply posted here to state my opinion. But if you are going to insult me DO NOT blame it on my age, because Ive met 40 year olds who act like 16 year olds and Ive met 16 year old who act like 40 year olds. If you dont agree with what im saying, call me bullheaded, or stupid. Im fine with that, Im just sick of being looked down on because of my age.

Ive always respected those on ScubaBoards unless they dissrespect me. I have nothing against your Dr.Bill and others, all divers are great people. Some just like to express their opinion more than others. This board has some of the most friendly people on a forum Ive ever met. Ive learnt much of what I know now thanx to many of you.

My young fellow diver, ScubaCollin!

Don't get offended! I don't think you're a moron or troll, just because you're young or 16! Remember, all of us used to be young! The objective here is to, educate and stop the killing of sharks for their fins.

I don't think you should stop posting because of the wrong word that was used in some of the posting! All of us are different and have different thinking and views. You should stay and proof that your age, is not an issue! I believed one day, as you grow older or maybe tomorrow, you might say "No" to sharks fin soup. It's better to start young because you are part of the future diving community. You might even one day tell others to stop eating sharks fin soup!

Like what you wrote, "Some just like to express their opinion more than others. This board has some of the most friendly people on a forum Ive ever met. Ive learnt much of what I know now thanx to many of you". Everyone has their own opinion, so don't get too angry with certain words that some of us wrote. We are just trying to explain to you why one should stop eating sharks fin soup. What you preached tommorow, is what you learned today!

I'm not angry with you because you like sharks fin, I used to eat them! I was brought up eating them, I'm a chinese! You are not the only one and not the last one! There are still lots of people, who like sharks fin. I just think that shark's fins belong to live sharks and not in our bowl. I believed if you stop today, tomorrow another 10 will too because of your action and support!

Say "No" To Sharks Fin Today And Help Save The Sharks!

Happy Diving & Keep Those Bubbles Flowing!

Ed. :scubadive:

 

[BacardiSpice]

ScubaCollin, I don't think there's a single person who has posted in this thread who wants you to stop posting.

What they are trying to do is marshall a range of arguments as to why you should stop contributing to being a part of the problem, and instead direct your energies to being part of the solution. Those of us who care for sharks - for their innate beauty and/or because of their role in the ecology of the oceans - feel very passionately about this and want you to understand why we feel passionately about it. Having been involved in issues of shark conservation before I could dive and before I turned 16, I believe you're old enough to constructively contribute to solving this problem.

Even if you honestly believe that your small contribution in refraining from eating sharkfin soup would make no difference, how do you feel about it morally? You are consuming a product that is harvested wastefully and destructively, not to mention inhumanely. It is used to produce a dish that has precious little to do with culinary quality and an awful lot to do with status - whether that be the bravado of eating a creature that has a fearsome reputation, or for cultural reasons (or some combination of these factors).

It really is better to light a single candle than curse the darkness. Don't give into cynical pessimism and assume that because you feel you can't do much you should do nothing. Attitudes may change slowly, but they will change. One more voice will swell the tide of protest. As Scubaroo says, where do you want to be in 50 years time? Personally, I hope I'm still diving...and still seeing sharks.

 

[drbill]

BacardiSpice... oooh, I like your thinking. Let's see, in 50 years I'll be 107 and it would be fantastic if I am still diving (with or without sharks!). Just trying to add a little levity. Good post by the way.

Dr. Bill

 

[SubMariner]

Anyway, I dont promote spearfishing because I believe that the animal should be left in the sea, but with sharkfin soup, the sharks already been killed. I highly doubt theyre killing sharks JUST for me.

You think so? In a fair number of cases they catch the shark, cut off the fin, then dump the poor mutilated creature back into the ocean to die. How is that using the WHOLE animal?

BTW, it's not just sharks fin soup where they use this ingredient. There are other "delicacies" like dumplings. EVERYTHING shark fin is off my dim sum list!


For the record, I've spearfished while living aboard our sailboat in the Caribbean. It's called DINNER.

 

[BacardiSpice]

I'll be a sprightly 81, DrBill! And hopefully still diving with sharks, even if the artificial hips (and knees, from all the years of running) are cranky about it. Want me to thaw you out of the cryofreeze for a dive? :sharks:

I probably still won't have managed to see an Oceanic White Tip in the wild, though, knowing my luck...

SubMariner, while I've never spearfished, I have a lot of mates who do. I prefer it to a lot of other methods of fishing, as it allows the spearo to select the right target - used wisely, it's a much more efficient, far less wasteful way of getting a meal than some other fishing techniques!

 

[Bob3]

Does anyone make a "Shark-less fin soup?" Kind of like a diet cola? I'd be interested in tasting the soup itself without the fin.

Yah, I had posted it on the board before & it caused a **** storm & it got deleted.
Here's a repost in the recipe section, with the name edited: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?p=977278#post977278

 

[Pat Gilbert]

With all due respect, I think you are very ignorant about the issues involved in the shark fin trade. Note that I didn't say 'stupid', just ignorant. Everything that scubaroo has posted is right on the mark. Research the shark fin business and then if you can come back and say that you will still eat it then fine. You'll still be wrong, in my opinion, but at least you'll be informed.

 

[jedah]

No shark fin soup for me either! Never tasted it though.

Now that I think about it, in northern Latin America (or at least in Venezuela), people eat baby sharks, it's called "cazon." It's a common filling for arepas and empanadas (corn cakes and turn-overs). It definitely tastes good, and the shark meat is what gives it its unique flavor.

While I grew up eating it and they use the whole shark in its preparation, I am from now on boycotting it, now more cazon for me when I go home!

I just can't be a responsible diver who loves seeing sharks in the wild and be eating baby sharks at the same time, even if only sporadically.

This reminds me of a time when we were diving in the Similans, and one of our fellow divers made a statement alluding to how often he wondered how the fish in the reef would taste either fried or in soup. I thought it was pretty disgusting, but never made the connection to "cazon."

J.