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Process The business of shark finning is defined as
removing and collecting the shark’s fin while
the shark is still alive and throwing the shark
back in the water. When the shark is thrown
back in, it either gets eaten by other fish or
drowns because it can no longer swim and
have its gills extract oxygen from the water.
Abstract Sharks are the premier predator in the ocean
and even with that being said are close to
being extinct due to shark finning. The really
seems no purpose in shark finning except for
shark fin soup. For example along the US
East Coast where large sharks such as black
tip and tiger sharks have been virtually
eliminated, there have been declines in
shellfish numbers and a reduction in water
quality, shellfish filter sea
water.(stopsharkfinning.net). So with shark
finning continuing it doesn’t just affect them
but us humans and the ecosystem of the
water. If sharks die out than the fish that
shark prey will become to plentiful and affect
the balance of the ecosystem. There are laws
in place banning shark finning in federal
waters but the hard part is having people
enforce it considering the ocean is a big place
and the law cant be everywhere at once.
.
SHARK FINNING Rene V. Duran
Works Cited
United States Conservation
The U.S. has been one of the strongest
leaders in helping maintain the survival of
sharks. the 2010 Shark Conservation Act
requires that all sharks in the United States
be brought to shore with their fins naturally
attached, although individual states may have
additional requirements for shark fisheries in
state waters. (mnfs.noaa.gov). The U.S. also
works worldwide with other fisheries to help
manage other bodies and help promote the
survival of sharks around the world.
.
Economic Effects Sharks are declining very rapidly due to shark
finning and commercial fishing. . Populations of
many shark species have fallen by over 90%.
Since 1972 the number of blacktip sharks has
fallen by 93%, tiger sharks by 97% and bull
sharks, dusky sharks and smooth
hammerheads by 99%.(animal.discovery.com)
Recent over fishing of sharks is becoming very
harmful to the marine life. Sharks are signs of a
healthy marine ecosystem. Sharks are known
as the wolves of the sea because they act as
the controllers for the population sizes of their
prey and the other species that are beneath
them in the food chain.
1.http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/index.htm
2.http://www.hsi.org/issues/shark_finning/
3.http://animal.discovery.com/endangered-
species/shark-finning.htm
4.http://www.audubonmagazine.org/articles/conserv
ation/saving-sharks-finning
5.http://oceana.org/sites/default/files/o/fileadmin/oce
ana/uploads/Sharks/Predators_as_Prey_FINAL_F
INAL.pdf
6.http://withoutmethereisnou.wordpress.com/2010/1
2/28/why-sharks-are-so-important-to-our-
ecosystem/
7.http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2012/08/08_13_
12new_shark_week_splash_page.html
Purposes Shark fins are used to be constructed into
powders, capsules, and some traditional
Chinese medicines. The claims of taking these
so called medicines is due to some health
benefits. Some of the benefits are to include:
improved blood nourishment, increased in
appetite, and increased energy in internal
organs to help process faster and smoother.
Some health benefits of consuming these
medicines even go as far as saying they cure
HIV and cancer. Till this day there is no
evidence. Another purpose of shark finning is
shark fin soup which is an Asian delicacy. The
high demand for it has mainly come from
China and countries from the Far East. Shark
fin soup can easily sell for $100 a bowl and is
known to be purchased for celebrations so that
they can show off their high taste.
Human Effects There are numerous claims of benefits of shark
fin consumption, but there is only some proof
that consuming may provide to degenerative
diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and
Alzheimer’s. The reason for this is due to the
neurotoxic amino acid-methylamino-Lalanine
(BMAA) that is found in shark tissue. BMAA is
formed by cyanobacteria which is also known
as blue green algae. Sharks that come into
contact with it through biomagnification, a
process in concentrations of toxic matter
increase with each successive line in the food
web. Concentrations of BMAA found in the
tissue increase when consumed by humans.