Shark Fin Soup ... bleh !!

[ScubaSteve]

...........I see it as trying to overcome a very serious disaster in the making, before it's too late, and becomes one of those ecological disasters that needs to be "sorted out"..............

That is OK Merxlin. We can just leave it to those arguing on behalf of Shark Finning and hope the world will come up with it's own "$700 Billion dollar disaster aversion" plan to dig itself out of the huge hole it has fallen into.

Why would we bother doing anything up front? That is just silly. Proactively trying to save the environment is not on some people's PC lists. Let's make people watch a video....that'll show them and we will have done ourt part.

FWIW I agree with you here. However this argument has gone on WAY too long and it is obvious that we really are going to just kill the planet as quickly as possible by the "PC Rules" attitudes of people. It is painful to think that people are willing to continue to argue on behalf of shark finning but I suppose it is the beauty of our free world: we are entitled to our opinion and an internet connection to try to impress that opinion on others.

 

[drbill]

Dr. Bill,

Did you attend a pledge meeting or something to register your deal with the sharks? I'd like to get in on that one.

Do you tie a yellow ribbon around your tank so the sharks recognize one of their own?

I'm not a lawyer... tee hee.

 

[drbill]

The thoughts that mirror the concept that "those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" certainly has some merit. However there are many who are equally critical of actions in their own country as they are of actions in other countries that seriously impact the ecosystems that sustain us.

I try to maintain a reasonable measure of cultural objectivity myself. While I find the practice of shark finning to be despicable both in terms of the waste of possible food and the impact on the ecosystems, I try to understand the cultural values that have sustained the consumption of shark fin soup.

Others have mentioning the growing affluence and greater spread of wealth in China as a major part of this problem. Certainly there is much truth to this. However, it is also easy for those of us in the "have already" (but losing it!) nations to criticize those in other countries who are beginning to achieve what many of us have already.

I am quick to point out problems with our own social and cultural practices that affect both our ocean and terrestrial ecosystems. I try to live a minimalist life to the extent I can (anyone who has seen my holy wetsuits can attest to that). I try to keep my energy and water use to a minimum (but will not give up my computers!). I criticize waste of these resources by my fellow citizens constantly. It is my feeling that one who is consistent in pointing out practices that impact our ecosystems in their own country are not hypocritical when they do likewise with other cultures. However, we still have to try to understand the cultural differences involved.

 

[chip104]

who says we can't do both? Have short term (sanctions) and long term (education) plans. In the end, the short term will catch up with the long term.

Everybody wins!


ps AND YEAH OP, DON'T BE DISSING OUR CHICKEN FEET. They're so tasty when drunk. I think you're icky.

pps and I agree with you on real sharks fin soup.

 

[merxlin]

Slightly paranoid there I think. Not everyone who disagrees with Americans "hates" them, they just disagree.

Hate may have been too strong. But based on this:

You know better and so people just better do what you say eh?

look, the real fact of life is that, in large parts of the world, America saying "do this" or "don't do that" just does not cut it any more. here's the thing - you don't own the world. You are part of it, but that does NOT give you the right to dictate to the rest of the world what should, or should not be done.

You can try to convince the rest of the world (and guess what, by and large that means educating), but you can't dictate.

America is FULLY within its rights to stop the practice in USA and to stop importing sharksfin. Now, without checking I will bet importation of sharksfin into USA is fully legal. So maybe you should look there FIRST, before stomping around the rest of the world and telling them what to do?

Or even maybe, just maybe, sort out you OWN ecological disasters before sorting out those in other countries?

I'm not exactly feeling the love either

Who says I do't care? Show me one thing in any post I have made that says I don't??

You fail repeatedly to see that its not your aim thats objectionable, its your methodology.

I STRONGLY believe in education, and believe that its the only way forward. "Do as I say because I know better than you" is a poor basis. Education includes teaching not only citizens, but also business leaders and governments. Pointing out that this practice will COST governments in the long run is far more effective than almost anything.

My opinion that you don't care is that you have "disagreed" with our mention of wanting to end the practice of shark finning by any means necessary, hoping that education

I STRONGLY believe in education, and believe that its the only way forward.

takes care of the issue. I believe, and it's just one diver's opinion, that if you cared you would want to do more than hope we can re-educate an entire culture and see what happens, regardless of who is presenting the message. Again, this is not to say we would exclude education. It IS important. But it is my opinion education alone will not stem this tide.

I'll stand down now. My soapbox is getting a bit rickety.

 

[drbill]

As for sorting out America's own ecological disasters, I think one has to consider that many countries (the US included) fish in international waters (and often other country's waters with or without invitation). They affect ecosystems globally, not just in their own waters.

One need only look at the disastrous overfishing that has decimated the Sea of Cortez over the years, some by Mexican nationals but also by the Japanese factory ships and others dating back at least 70 years.

Or look at the continuation of whaling in areas like the Antarctic. Countries can have devastating effects on ecosystems far from their own waters.

The sharks taken to be finned come from all over the world, not just in China's offshore waters.

Another example is the striped marlin fishery. While it is easy to villanize SoCal sports fishers who go after marlin, their take is nothing compared to the huge factory ships in Mexican waters which may have 10,000 marlin each on ice.

Perhaps one benefit from the upswing in fuel prices may be to make fishing remote waters too expensive to be economically feasible.

 

[josh]

That is OK Merxlin. We can just leave it to those arguing on behalf of Shark Finning

It is painful to think that people are willing to continue to argue on behalf of shark finning .

I will be polite here, although I am inclined to be less so, but will defer to board rules and merely ask you to show one single post in this thread that argues FOR shark finning?

 

[josh]

My opinion that you don't care is that you have "disagreed" with our mention of wanting to end the practice of shark finning by any means necessary,

Oh Dear.* Don't you see how simply wrong that is?* By any means necessary?*
If I need to explain that further, we are clearly on different pages.

 

[merxlin]

Oh Dear.* Don't you see how simply wrong that is?* By any means necessary?*
If I need to explain that further, we are clearly on different pages.

Sorry, poor phrasing. Obviously there are some limits. I'm not suggesting nuking someone. But I do think there are a number of options that could bring this practice to an end sooner rather than (too) later.