Shark Finning: All for a Bowl of Soup

Abstract

Due to increase of shark fin soup consumption in the Chinese culture, a large number of sharks are being killed by a form of illegal fishing called ‘shark finning’. Shark finning has been an issue since the late 1990s. As a result, many species of sharks are on the brink of extinction. An unbalanced food chain forces underwater ecosystems into extreme crisis. When any one species becomes extinct, the final impact is on humans. That is why most countries try to protect sharks by banning shark finning. The global response on shark finning and efforts on making the global standard to prevent extinction of sharks are becoming more serious. Unfortunately, shark finning fishers are encouraged to continue because the value of shark fins is elevated. Less the shark population, higher the price it is. One pound of died shark fin is worth almost $300. To prevent sharks being killed, we need to replace the shark fin soup in Chinese weddings and other special occasions, with something that is worth enough to symbolize wealth like an expensive shark fin.