Anna Rastatter

609 Packer Hall

University Park, PA 16802
April 19, 2012
National Geographic Society
1145 17th Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036-4688
Dear National Geographic,
My name is Anna Rastatter and I am a freshman at the Pennsylvania State University. Enrolled in
an oceanography class, I have been learning about the problems of the ocean. I am writing with concern
in regards to a growing universal problem that, left unattended, will be detrimental to the sustainability of
our world ocean. An extremely pressing issue is shark finning. Shark finning is the removal and retaining
of shark fins, which are then used in fine dining settings (Find Out About). Instead of being conservative
and using the rest of the shark byproduct, fishermen throw the shark body, still alive, back into the ocean
to await its death. Without its fins, the shark cannot move properly through the water and a slow death is
therefore imminent. By spreading proper facts surrounding the inhumane act of shark finning, I am
hopeful that better regulations can be put into place. Many people, the consumers in particular, are
ignorant to the suffering that shark finning causes.
Studies estimate that somewhere between 26 million and 73 million sharks are butchered
annually for their fins (Bakalar). Shark fins are the main ingredient in shark fin soup. Shark fin soup is
viewed as an Asian delicacy, and as demand rises, so does the number of sharks harvested. Fishermen are
mainly interested in the fins because shark meat has such low economic value. In addition, the men in
charge of removing the fins believe that shark bodies take up too much space to transport on the boat. I
find a sick irony in the fact that shark fin itself is tasteless. The fin is only used to create a gelatinous
texture within the soup (Find Out About). It seems pointless to subject populations of shark to an
imminent death just to use its flavorless fin. An alternative food source to substitute for the fin could
possibly be tofu. It is unjust to leave tens of millions of sharks to die just for the tasteless fins. This act
becomes inhumane in the way the fishermen discard the carcass of the shark. Sharks are usually still alive
when tossed back into the ocean to meet death in a number of torturous ways. Like previously mentioned,
the shark could die a slow death in many ways. Sharks extract oxygen from the water through their gills
only when they are in constant motion (Shark Education). Being paralyzed without their fin to guide them
through the water, the sharks cannot extract oxygen and will ultimately drown. Another death that seems
just as tragic is letting the still alive, but immobile shark sink towards the bottom where it will be eaten
alive by other fish (Find Out About). Disregarding age, gender or size, sharks are harvested. According to
the Food and Agriculture Organization, shark fins preferably come from the tiger, mako, sawfish, sandbar
bull, hammerhead, blacktip, porbeagle, blue, and thresher sharks (Shark Utilization). Some species of
sharks have dropped in numbers by as much as 80% within the last 50 years (Shark Finning). If the
finning continues without regulations, the oceans sharks will plummet to extinction. The rapid expansion
and lack of regulations surrounding the shark fin trade is a serious threat to shark populations worldwide.
Sharks play an important role in the complex system that is our worlds ocean.
Looking forward, it is imperative to enforce restrictions on areas throughout the world to protect
the wellbeing of sharks. There are four main categories that can be put into place to protect sharks. The
first is to designate areas as shark sanctuaries. This means that the regulated area will prohibit the fishing
of sharks in any form. The second is to create areas where sharks can be fished, but fishermen must return
to land with the entire shark. The third potential solution to shark finning is to enforce strict regulations
on the fin to body mass ratio. The fourth and final solution to protect sharks is to distinguish an area as

one where shark product trade regulations exist (Biery). By spreading awareness, I am hopeful that shark
species of all kinds will return to a healthy population. Every shark plays an important role in the complex
ocean system. Pushing them to extinction by leaving them to die just for their tasteless fin seems unmoral
and barbaric. With your help in spreading awareness, we can do our part in protecting our planet by
saving shark populations from diminishing any more than they already have.
Thank you for your consideration,
Anna Rastatter

Works Cited
Biery, L. and Pauly, D. A global review of species-specific shark-fin-to-body-mass ratios and relevant
legislation. Journal of Fish Biology. (2012). 80: 16431677.
Bakalar, Nicholas. "38 Million Sharks Killed for Fins Annually, Experts Estimate." National Geographic.
National Geographic Society, 12 Oct. 2006. Web. 14 Apr. 2012.
<http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061012-shark-fin.html>.
"Find Out About Shark Finning and How You Can Help to End It." Stop Shark Finning. Web. 13 Apr.
2012. <http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/index.htm>.
"Shark Education - Shark Finning Facts." SHARKWATER. Web. 13 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.sharkwater.com/education.htm>.
"Shark Finning." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Dec. 2012. Web. 13 Apr. 2012.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_finning>.
"Shark Utilization, Marketing and Trade." FAO Corporate Document Repository. Fisheries and
Aquaculture Department, 1999. Web. 13 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/X3690E/x3690e0p.htm>.