Shark conservation

[back2deepblue]

I just read this very alarming news in the ScubaBoard Regional Travel and Dive Clubs/South America forum and wanted to share with the Ohana even though it doesn't pertain to Hawaii (in case somebody missed it). I'm sure all of us are very interested in the conservation of our oceans and its wonderful creatures.

Here is a small quote of the thread to give you an idea of what it's about. (I wasn't sure if you can create a link to another thread on the forum.) Maybe we can all help prevent this tragedy in one way or another.

Thanks for reading and sorry if this is not the place to post this.


Very disturbing news from Galapagos

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"This is a special "ocean conservation" email from Peter Hughes Diving to inform you of a very recent change (July 30, 2007) in Ecuador law that now allows the legal sale and exportation of shark fins and products. The practice had been banned in all of Ecuador until July 30th.

In short, this change opens the legal door to shark over-fishing and the even more despicable practice of "shark finning" (just cutting off the fins and throwing the body of shark, sometimes still alive, back into the sea to die) in Ecuador."

 

[scubadrewvideo]

Sad....VERY SAD

 

[Cacia]

WHO is buying the shark fin?

they must have gotten a lucrative offer, because I don't think they eat this in Equador.

 

[MeiLing]

WHO is buying the shark fin?

they must have gotten a lucrative offer, because I don't think they eat this in Equador.

The Chinese are big on the shark fin thing. And they create markets all over the world for the things that they desire. I saw something about poaching in regards to bears and the Chinese. Seems that they pay big bucks for the gall bladders because they think it makes the men sexually potent. All they take is the gall bladder too.

I have no problem with hunting, if you're going to eat the whole dang thing. The idea of killing for just one part and wasting the rest sickens me!

 

[back2deepblue]

here is the link to the original thread http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=197389

In the last fifteen years demand for shark fin soup has boomed in Asia. Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan are the main shark fin trading centres. Increasingly on the high seas sharks are “finned” and the rest of their bodies, often still alive, are dumped at sea. Shark meat is often too low value compared to the target species like tuna.... so 95-99% of the shark is discarded to conserve hold space. Shark fin makes a gelatinous bulk in shark fin soup, but it has no taste......the soup has to be flavoured with chicken or other stock (go figure).
A bowl of soup can cost $100 in a Hong Kong restaurant.

 

[justleesa]

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