WNJ Interview: Barbaric shark finning continues to bloody our seas
All photos courtesy of Oceana
by David Wheeler
At first glance, the act of slicing off a shark's dorsal fin and throwing it back in the ocean to die sounds too horrid and barbaric to be a modern-day fishing tool in many nations. Yet shark-finning claims millions of sharks each year. Though New Jersey's fishermen do not add to this problem, the sharks that migrate through our waters face the same risks as those worldwide.
Oceana, a global environmental advocate, is leading a fight for stronger shark finning laws in the United States. The existing Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000 contains loopholes that still allow finning and lacks real enforcement strength. While working to strengthen U.S. regulations, Oceana is also working worldwide to ban shark finning in active regions such as the Chilean Pacific coast and the European Union.
I interviewed Oceana shark expert and marine scientist Elizabeth Wilson about this practice - and what can be done to better protect sharks in the future.
Why is at stake with your shark finning campaign?
Sharks have swum the world’s oceans for more than 400 million years and play a vital role in maintaining the health of marine ecosystems. But now sharks shark populations around the world have been decimated, with some populations having declined as much as 99 percent. The greatest threat to sharks is shark finning, the practice of cutting off a shark’s fins and discarding the carcass at sea. This is done because shark meat is of much lower value than fins and takes up space that could otherwise be used for storing fins.
Is this practice increasing due to economic demand? Or are we seeing any progress in slowing it thanks to media exposure and public outrage?
Shark finning occurs because of the large demand for fins to be used in shark fin soup. Scientists estimate that up to 73 million sharks are killed annually to satisfy the demand for the international shark fin soup market. Due to poor catch and trade statistics, it’s difficult to say if demand for shark fin soup is changing. Shark fin soup is considered a luxury item so as global affluence grows, so does the market. However, awareness about the impact of shark fin soup on shark populations is growing and many people are now committing to not eat it.
Is the U.S. Congress considering action on this?
The U.S. currently has legislation in place to prevent shark finning but it is riddled with problems. To solve these problems, a new bill, The Shark Conservation Act, has been moving through Congress. The Shark Conservation Act would require that sharks be landed with their fins still attached, which is the easiest type of finning ban to enforce. It also closes a loophole related to the transfer of fins at sea, which allows bad actors to circumvent the current law. Additionally, the bill allows the U.S. to take actions against countries that have weaker protections for sharks.
The Shark Conservation Act has passed the House, cleared the Senate Commerce committee and is awaiting consideration by the full Senate. It’s time for quick action by the Senate-if the bill doesn’t pass before the end of the year, we’ll have to start the process all over next year.
Does New Jersey have a local movement about shark finning?
The National Marine Fisheries Service has remedied some of the problems in the current shark finning legislation by issuing new fisheries regulations in some areas. Fortunately, fishermen in New Jersey are already doing what would be required under the new law, landing sharks with their fins still naturally attached to their bodies.
David
Wheeler's book, “Wild New Jersey: Nature Adventures in the Garden
State,”will be published in February by Rutgers University Press. He is
the founder of WildNewJersey.tv. More information on the book can be found at WildNewJerseyBook.tv.
Posted by WILDNEWJERSEY at 12/9/2010 12:30 PM 
Categories: WNJ Interview, Sharks
Tags: shark finning sharks oceana fishing Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000
Categories: WNJ Interview, Sharks
Tags: shark finning sharks oceana fishing Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000
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