Sharks Endangered

[VirusType2]

Baum's research has produced some mind-boggling statistics. The population of oceanic white-tip sharks, considered the most common large species on earth as recently as 1960, has dropped by 99 percent in the Gulf of Mexico (and that was before the oil spill). Populations of smooth hammerhead and bull sharks off the East Coast of the United States have also declined by 99 percent. Looking at all shark species in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, Baum found that the healthiest populations were down by 40 percent. The least healthy were down 90 percent or more.

1. more than 100 out of 400 shark species are being commercially exploited
2. many of these shark species are so overexploited that even their long-term survival can no longer be guaranteed
3. a serious monitoring and control program is lacking for international shark trade.

Endangered Database:
http://www.shark.ch/Database/EndangeredSharks/index.html

Mostly because of shark fin soup. The sharks are caught, often even young sharks who are not sexually mature, and thus is the end of their bloodline.

NOAA agent counting confiscated shark fins

Shark finning is widespread, and largely unmanaged and unmonitored. Shark finning has increased over the past decade largely due to the increasing demand for shark fins for Chinese shark fin soup and traditional cures, improved fishing technology, and improved market economics. Shark specialists estimate that anywhere between 38 million-100 million sharks are killed for their fins, annually.[1] Shark fins are a billion dollar industry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_finning

Sharks help to weed out the sick, weak and unfit. And guess what happens without sharks? Massive overpopulation of other species like squid. With an overpopulation of squid will mean the fish they eat could be endangered as well. A major disruption of the entire food chain, including a major source of food for much of the human population on Earth:

killing off top predators like sharks can also set off a cascading environmental collapse that is detrimental to the entire ecosystem—and to humans who wish to exploit its resources. She noted that with shark populations drastically reduced off North Carolina, cownose rays, a favored food item for sharks, have flourished. But the rays feed on shellfish, and their increased numbers have caused a 100-year-old scallop fishery in the area to disappear.

In Today's News: Hawaii became the first state to ban the the possession, sale and distribution of shark fins.

The law's power may be primarily symbolic given Hawaii is a small market for shark fin, especially compared to Hong Kong. The IUCN estimates Hong Kong handles at least 50 percent and perhaps 80 percent of the world's shark fin trade.

Other countries will also have to commit to limit the shark fin trade for any restrictions to have an effect, he said.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jOsCFYx6SB152QP0YLqNNqWRm3gAD9G0LRIG0

But what about countries like Africa, where there is absolutely no regulation, and families that often live off $1 a day can make hundreds of dollars a day shark finning?

The situation is upsetting.

The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago, before the time of the dinosaurs. Since that time, sharks have diversified into 440 species. [100 of which are in danger]

it is difficult for sharks to breed rapidly enough to maintain population levels, given the long interval between birth and sexual maturity. Major declines in shark stocks have been recorded—some species have been depleted by over 90% over the past 20–30 years with a population decline of 70% not unusual.

"Our oceans are being emptied of sharks and the problem is global."

SYDNEY—According to legend, Australian naturalist Steve Irwin would walk out of Chinese restaurants when he found out they served shark fin soup. Taking a stand on shark finning, however, has not stopped the practice or the dwindling numbers of sharks.

At least 35 species of open-ocean sharks and rays are currently facing extinction, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.

Sharks are apex predators and therefore play a key role in maintaining the balance of oceanic ecosystems. They are particularly vulnerable to overfishing as most species are slow to mature, some taking over 10 years, and produce relatively few young.

Overfishing, overfishing, overfishing.

Causing public outcry with a secretly recorded video of a Taiwanese ship illegally landing 30 tons of fins from an estimated 30,000 sharks in a Costa Rican port, Arauz helped ensure enforcement of local laws, which specify sharks must be landed with fins attached.

In Chinese culture, shark fin is regarded as an aphrodisiac and tonic, believed to strengthen the internal organs and retard ageing. Aficionados may enjoy the glutinous texture, but fins are composed of collagen, similar to human fingernails, with little nutritious value and no taste.

The soup is actually flavored by other ingredients, such as abalone and chicken stock. Furthermore, shark fins tend to contain high concentrations of methylmercury, often several times higher than the levels considered safe for human consumption, due to bioaccumulation up the food chain.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/35738/
Hopefully we can make some changes, but the situation is grim. China and Japan flat out refuse to cooperate with most conservation efforts.

You can join conservation efforts here: http://www.shark.ch/Projects/index.html

 

[Vegeta897]

Oh god, I don't like that image at all.

At first glance I was like 'okay why is there a picture of some dude messing with pigeons' and then read the caption and was like OH GOD NO

 

[dfc05]

Like you quoted, shark fin soup is ridiculous. It doesn't even taste that good. Just make fish soup. Geez.

 

[MJ12]

How did it take them this long to realize?

At first glance I was like 'okay why is there a picture of some dude messing with pigeons' and then read the caption and was like OH GOD NO

You are the biggest baby.

 

[VirusType2]

Oh god, I don't like that image at all.

At first glance I was like 'okay why is there a picture of some dude messing with pigeons' and then read the caption and was like OH GOD NO

I saw them cutting the fins off of baby sharks in High Definition.

How did it take them this long to realize?

I don't know, but I'm upset. I only heard of it yesterday and started researching it.

More than a hundred species of sharks have been subjected to commercial exploitation over the last 3 - 4 decades, thus leaving their population in a dire state. If this trend continues, some of these endangered sharks are not even expected to live for another decade. This list features various types of sharks including Great White shark, Sand Tiger shark, Basking shark, Hammerhead shark, etc.

Even though the crisis that these endangered shark species face today are more than obvious, they fall short when it comes waking the administration from its deep slumber. Time and again, it has been proved that wildlife conservation methods are only initiated when the species become rare, and it is too late to save them from extinction. Serious depletion in the number of species goes for a toss, when the economic gains come into the picture. If this attitude doesn't change, it won't be long before the these endangered shark species become extinct, and trigger a series of aftereffects on the ecosystem of the planet.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/endangered-sharks-species-of-endangered-sharks.html

 

[Azner]

Sharkfin soup is sinfully delicious.

 

[Eejit]

How did it take me this long to realize?

Fix't.

 

[VirusType2]

Some people who fish these sharks generally live in an economy of $1 a day or so. So as long as there is hundreds of dollars to be made in a few hours, they won't stop. It would require a lot of resources to enforce protections and watch over the shores. I expect stocks of sharks in those areas to all but disappear.

The only real way to stop it would be to get rid of the demand (make the fins worthless), but unfortunately, demand is very high, and will probably only increase without more government intervention. So this is the only solution, I guess.


I'm going to try to become active with places like the Shark Foundation (http://www.shark.ch/index.html), which might help chances of actually having an impact.

The Shark Foundation has been committed to the protection and research of sharks since 1997 and sees itself as the sharks' lobby.

It's not just shark finning, there are several reasons why sharks are in a sharp decline. Here's most of them:

Fishing (millions of them die needlessly as undesirable bycatch in the nets and longlines of swimming fish factories.)
- also the overfishing of food that sharks eat

Finning (they just throw the shark carcass back in the water, not even using it as meat to support the fishing problem)

Environment change and pollution

Cartilage (Sharks are slaughtered for ineffective medicinal cartilage preparations)


I just feel it will be easier and faster if there were changes to slow shark finning as opposed to accidental netting and environment and pollution damage.


In a recent development, there is a certain metal that repels sharks in salt water that they can use for hooks. Other fish (the intended catch) is unfazed by this metal.

The lines snag an estimated 11 to 13 million unwanted sharks each year

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080501-shark-repellent.html

Another recent discovery - a way to repel sharks from netting is actually to use a decomposing shark solution (a chemically synthesized version - copper acetate) which repels sharks very effectively.

copper acetate had a nearly perfect record of repellence

 

[Darkside55]

Sharkfin soup is sinfully delicious.

Word up, man.

 

[MJ12]

Fix't.

Well unlike you, I am not a Shark Scientist, and it is not my job to babysit fishermen.

 

[Mogi67]

kill em all, that's what i'm doing

 

[Warbie]

Apparently shark fins have next to zero taste and all the flavour is from the stock used in the dish.

 

[Raziaar]

Chinese people have no shame.

If Mega Shark from Giant Octopus vs Mega Shark existed... he would be hunted down for his fins.

 

[Darkside55]

As if Mega Shark could be hunted.

 

[Raziaar]

As if Mega Shark could be hunted.

Don't doubt the insatiable desire for ridiculous and unsustainable food stuffs. Mega Shark would be caught after just days of discovery.

 

[Darkside55]

Your gross underestimation of Mega Shark saddens and irks me.

 

[VirusType2]

EDIT: I like how he's waving goodbye.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark
(under evolution)

 

[Vegeta897]

Why don't you add a battleship to that size comparison.

 

[VirusType2]

How about the USS Virginia Navy attack sub.

115 meters long

Looks like a metal shark with that large dorsal fin.

 

[<RJMC>]

and no one say a thing to china

seriously there is varios countryes blamed for climate issues,95% of it the usa,but china whit its demand for parts of tons of animal cause a impact on tons of species

for example it seem a organs of the andean bear are in used in traditional chinese medicine but how the hell the parts of a animal not living in china become part of a supposed ancient traditional culture?

so seriosuly china should do something cuz they will destroy almost any animal whit that parts harvesting thing,but since it seens they dont even care about the people of the foxxcon factories I pretty much doubt something will happen