This is the fin of a Great White Shark (Picture courtousy of Bing Image)
Before you continue, you must watch this video.
Can you believe sharks have been around for more than 400 million years? They are a critical part of our marine ecosystem because they are at the top of the food chain. Every day over 200,000 sharks are killed for their fins. Once the fin is cut from the shark, the carcass is then thrown back into the ocean. The shark is usually still alive when it is tossed back but is unable to swim so it sinks to the bottom of the ocean and is eaten by other fish. The great white shark was added to the endangered species list because its population has dropped due to unregulated trade and excessive hunting for shark fins. Can you guess the largest trading center for shark fins? Well it is Hong Kong. Shark fin soup is a delicacy in China and because of China’s economy growth; more people have become wealthy enough to eat more shark fin soup. This has caused the demand for shark fins to hit the roof which has ultimately led to a decreased shark population. If fact shark specialists estimate that 100 million sharks are killed annually for their fins because one pound of shark fin can sell for up to $300. That is 190 sharks per minute! Shark finning is a global problem that specialists estimate will cause extinction within 10 years. Source
You might be asking yourself what is the big deal? The shark is an apex predator that resides at the top of the oceanic food chain. Apex predators have a vital role in maintaining the health and balance of their ecosystems. A decrease in the apex predator of the ocean threatens the stability of the marine ecosystem. Essentially, disturbing this balance will ultimately cause
a potential threat to oceans as a support for human life. Basically, life on land depends on life underwater to survive.
I urge you to take action today! The first thing you can do to make a difference is SAY NO TO SAHRK FIN SOUP. Refuse it at restaurants and encourage your friends to do the same. You can also donate to help save the sharks here.
Your actions will determine their future!
Please share one of these video with your friends and have them pass it along to raise awareness of this issue.
Can you believe sharks have been around for more than 400 million years? They are a critical part of our marine ecosystem because they are at the top of the food chain. Every day over 200,000 sharks are killed for their fins. Once the fin is cut from the shark, the carcass is then thrown back into the ocean. The shark is usually still alive when it is tossed back but is unable to swim so it sinks to the bottom of the ocean and is eaten by other fish. The great white shark was added to the endangered species list because its population has dropped due to unregulated trade and excessive hunting for shark fins. Can you guess the largest trading center for shark fins? Well it is Hong Kong. Shark fin soup is a delicacy in China and because of China’s economy growth; more people have become wealthy enough to eat more shark fin soup. This has caused the demand for shark fins to hit the roof which has ultimately led to a decreased shark population. If fact shark specialists estimate that 100 million sharks are killed annually for their fins because one pound of shark fin can sell for up to $300. That is 190 sharks per minute! Shark finning is a global problem that specialists estimate will cause extinction within 10 years. Source
You might be asking yourself what is the big deal? The shark is an apex predator that resides at the top of the oceanic food chain. Apex predators have a vital role in maintaining the health and balance of their ecosystems. A decrease in the apex predator of the ocean threatens the stability of the marine ecosystem. Essentially, disturbing this balance will ultimately cause
a potential threat to oceans as a support for human life. Basically, life on land depends on life underwater to survive.
I urge you to take action today! The first thing you can do to make a difference is SAY NO TO SAHRK FIN SOUP. Refuse it at restaurants and encourage your friends to do the same. You can also donate to help save the sharks here.
Your actions will determine their future!
Please share one of these video with your friends and have them pass it along to raise awareness of this issue.
90% of sharks have been fished out of the ocean. | When the buying stops, the finning will too! |
RSS Feed