Say "No" To Shark's Fin Soup!

[longimanus]

I read everyone's argument with great interest. I joined ScubaBoard recently on another controversial issue; please let me make some random comments.

First, I love diving with sharks. Spotting a shark during a dive makes my day. Got a PADI Shark specialty before getting my AOW (am currently a Divemaster candidate), years ago. I dove with thousands of sharks, read dozens of books, will continue to educate myself on sharks until I'm too old to read or dive. My pseudo is Longimanus, the latin name for the Oceanic white-tip shark.

2- I ate shark-fin soup a couple of time, don't especially like or dislike it.

3- I disagree with whomever saying that one individual effort doesn't change much. It's the same as saying: I won't go vote because my one vote won't change anything to the end result. This is just non-responsible behavior. In order to stop shark-slaughtering, stop eating shark fin soup. To stop elephant-slaughtering, stop buying ivory stuff. To stop Chinese children employement abuse, stop buying Nike etc.

4- Now, the potentially controversial comment. I don't believe in extremes. Killing whatever millions of sharks for soup is an extreme. But banning totally commercial shark fishing is another. Millions of people in third world countries rely on the fishing industry in general, shark fishing in particular. One solution would be to promote eco-tourism and diving in shark sites. But that would still not solve the economical consequences to the local population. Remember, we're talking about people relying on fishing to put food on the table, not some fat rich guys going "sports" fishing on a full stomach. Also, some cultures have century old initiatory ritual involving shark hunting, sharks have been part of the culinary legacy for other cultures. We, weterners, can't just suddenly decide from oceans away to alter the lives of other cultures. We must protect endangered species, and as divers, we're on the frontline of shark protection. But we must do that with equal respect to other human cultures.

5- Here comes the can of worms: I believe this is also true for whales. Although it is extremely important that endangered whale species should be protected, we also need to respect the 400 year old traditions that governed some Japanese villages (initiatory rituals for young men, braving whales on their back with a single harpoon), respect the eskimo culture that relied on whales for food and fuel, respect Norvegian and Japanese culinary history in which whales have a major place.

6- I think it is possible to control the fishing / hunting of endangered species, using very conservative margins. Homo Sapiens is omnivorous, we just went way overboard in exploiting Nature and need to reverse back a lot, while preserving some of our (most often others') traditions.

Let me summarize in order to avoid misinterpretation:
- we should do whatever is possible to protect our environment, sharks, whales, elephants and all other endangered species.
- but we need to do that in a constructive, educated way, respectfully understanding the econmical and cultural impact this could have on other cultures.
- before giving lessons to other cultures, there are very simple ways to protect the environment. I'm NOT a greenpeace tree-hugger, but did you know that using a laundry dryer instead of taking 5 minutes of your time putting your wet clothes on a line emits 30 cubic foot of CO2 due to the production of the corresponding electricity?
- now, how do we do this? how can we massively reduce shark fishing while preserving Chinese or other culinary traditions? The debate is open....

 

[archman]

Here's a solid solution: shark mariculture

If anyone can pull it off, it's the asian fish farmers. Wonder what the hold up is...

 

[BacardiSpice]

I see where you're coming from, Longimanus, and largely agree with you.

I'm all for sustainable use of the ocean's resources (hence my earlier comment in this thread about responsible spearfishing being more selective and less wasteful than some commercial practices). I'm also in favour of working with local communities to encourage sustainability, whether that be through ecotourism or managing resources, e.g. villagers growing tridachna for the aquarium trade. I support conservation organisations that work with communities rather than dictate to them from a wealthy Western perspective. If you're a subsistance fisherman eking out a living and there's a ready market for a particular species of fish, you're going to supply it. Organisations such as WWF are working with these communities towards sustainability and preserving both their livelihoods and their environment (often inextricably linked) for their children, so that balance is restored and both the environment and those that rely upon it are winners.

I also recognise cultural sensibilities - and great care must be taken not to offend these. However, sometimes these are used as a shield - for example, widespread consumption of whale meat is a post-WWII phenomena in Japan, as it provided a cheap source of protein. Some indigenous Australians hunt Dugong with traditional weapons and according to cultural practices that go back to time immemorial...but on the other hand, recently a man slaughtered a protected grey nurse shark here in NSW. His justification? He claimed indigenous ancestory, and asserted that he was teaching his son how to hunt...never mind that he used very un-traditional hunting methods!

The market in shark's fin soup is linked to cultural ideas of affluence, and as the middle class in Asia grows, so does the need for this status symbol. I lived in Singapore for three years and had many friends in the Chinese community with whom I discussed the matter, and it was apparent that this consumption it was linked with prestige. Current finning practices are wasteful and cruel, and I don't believe in preserving a cultural practice (particularly one that has boomed only comparatively recently due to economic factors) under these circumstances.

 

[longimanus]

.