Stop the Distribution of Shark Fins

[Sharkgirl]

The soup is kind of like long clear noodles that are squeezed from the fins. There is no scientific (or other) proof that shark cartilage does anything for you. It was once thought that b/c sharks don't get cancer (they do) that it would prevent us from getting it, it is also often used in North America for arthritus 'cure'- its all a scam. In my opinion, we should make sure sharks stick around cause we have lots to learn from them- they have survived for 400 million years without causing extinctions or eating so much that they run out of food- 2 very good lessons for humans to consider... and we fear them for having big appetites!

 

[Scram Bulleggs]

Just start a big rumor that shark fin soup has been shown to reduce the size in 90% of a men tested during a recent study 50% of the population will stop eating it just incase.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

what's with the "Do you have children?" question when you sign this petition?

weird! :no

-Garrett

 

[krystof]

I just signed the petition. I grew up in Singapore so had plenty of shark fin soup. Pretty nondescript taste but supposed to be good for you. Actually cartilage is good for the joints. But later I discovered that there is also in Singapore a dish I did not have called "beef tendon stew". Eat that every day while growing up and your joints will be like iron.

For a short time my favorite Singapore food was turtle soup. Then I saw the turtles still wiggling after they pulled out the head. After that I ate no more turtle soup. But hey you folks probably all love baked lobster. I worked in a restaurant in Vermont and I do not even care to describe how that is made.

PS... Shark fin soup is not what I would call a "novelty food" as described by Kneptoon below. It is rather a traditional food analogous to New England Clam Chowder. Asian cuisine does have novelty foods like fresh monkey brains, meat of tortured dogs, etc. However shark fin soup is (or was) quite mainstream, right up there with Bird's Nest Soup.

Cats in Europe are natural. Cats in Australia are destroying wildlife species. This does not make cats 'novelty pets' or some weird animal. Everything has its place in nature. I respect vegetarianism, in fact Asia is the heartland of vegetarianism. However aside from vegetarianism, there is no reason to take a demeaning attitude toward shark fin soup any more than toward New England Clam Chowder. If the clams were tortured and misused then we should boycott Clam Chowder. If the price of shark fins were not out of proportion, and if also sharks were not endangered, then there is no reason to boycott shark fin soup any more than bird nest soup or clam chowder or cats. However because cats are a danger in Australia they need to be severely contolled in Australia. (Actually cats are a bit out of control everywhere but I think I've made my point.) Similarly, shark fin products need to be boycotted.

PPS--perhaps more effective than to boycott shark fins is a "price freeze". Maybe governments should require that the price of the fins, from reputable fishermen who sell shark meat, must be low. I.e. put a "price freeze" on shark fins. This may cause the value of fins to be so low that nobody will bother to kill a shark for only the fins.

Actually if you want a 'novelty food' how about New England baked lobster. The lobster is sliced open and marinated, still alive. Then still alive and wiggling, slowly baked in the oven. My friends say it is delicious but for myself, I think the entire flavor is in the butter and just as soon eat only the garlic toast dipped in butter.

 

[kneptoon]

Thanks for keeping up awareness of the shark finning issue. I signed the petition. What a ridiculous needless slaughter for a novelty food.

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

Just start a big rumor that shark fin soup has been shown to reduce the size in 90% of a men tested during a recent study 50% of the population will stop eating it just incase.

ON THAT NOTE:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tests reveal shark flesh contains 60 times the safe level for human consumption[/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]South Africa's Natal Sharks Board (NSB) is collaborating with the German NGO Sharkprojekt (Sharkproject - Wir kämpfen für Haie !) in an analysis of methyl mercury in flesh of sharks caught in their nets. Obviously, the bigger [sharks] are, the more methyl mercury they will have consumed," said Geremy Cliff of the NSB. "But age is also a factor. Some sharks, like the spiny dogfish, may be as old as 50 years, but grow to less than a metre in length." Wolf Snyckers of Sharkprojekt and co-ordinator of the project in South Africa said the Chinese are very interested in the experiments, given their taste for sharkfin soup. At a seafood safety and toxicology symposium in Chingdao in June 2006, Sharkprojekt presented the findings of two German scientists who developed a method of testing methyl mercury in shark products on European and Australian supermarket shelves. The scientists found that the shark products being sold had methyl mercury levels 60 times the 'safe' level for human consumption, and consumption could result in impotency and death. In China, shark products are promoted as a cure for impotency. "The sharks will have the last laugh yet, but the reality is without them, the ocean will die," says Andy Cobb, South African shark conservationist[/FONT][/FONT]

Carolyn:shark2:

 

[Keithesaf]

If you want to see what the actual soup looks like, then watch this video by Peter Schneider of underwatercam.tv and you will see it towards the end.
It is about the Sharks of Rangiroa. Click here to watch it

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

Ty for sharing that with us.

Carolyn:shark2:

 

[GratefulDiver69]

Petition signed. Thanks for raising awareness on this issue.

 

[Sharkfilms]

Hi Sgad
good question. The fin is reduced to threads of cartilage which is in itself tasteless. The flavoring comes from chicken or fish stock and herbs. Much of the cache comes from the preparation.
Chinese cuisine values texture and it is the texture of the noodle, or threads of cartilage.
If you want to learn more see the trailer on Shark Film - Sharks: Stewards of the Reef or look at the info page. Go to science friday adn there is a short video on substitute shark fin.
One solution would be reducing demand through substitution. Cartilage is the same molecular structure in cows. There are a lot of cows but not so many sharks.