Ligia Montenegro

Writing 39C
May 15, 2015
Advocacy Project P.1
Shark Population Declines due to Finning, Causing a Decline in Biodiversity!
Despite movies like Jaws demonstrating sharks ability to defend themselves, in real life,
sharks are just as vulnerable as any other living thing. As a matter of fact, sharks are highly
susceptible to extinction, as stated in Caty Fairclough Shark Finning: Sharks Turned Prey.
Fairclough, an environmental studies major and intern at Ocean Portal, states that with their
slow growth and low reproductive rates, sharks are highly susceptible to extinction, and it is
difficult for many shark species to replenish their populations as quickly as they are being
diminished. As this happens, the ecosystem is thrown off balanced since this apex predator is
rapidly disappearing from the food chain, causing changes in the ecosystem populations in terms
of biodiversity and marine animal growth.
As explained by Lauren Latchford, a marine habitat resource specialist at Earth
Resources Technology, shark finning arose from China, around the Song Dynasty (960-1279
AD) and greatly evolved during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), where it was seen as a status of
honor and wealth. Although finning decrease, it began to take a global notice in the 1980s. Now,
it is a global problem that has caused a decrease in shark population throughout the world
(Latchford 6). As shark fins have proven to be more expensive than the rest of the body, they are
usually sold in the black market, as there are some federal laws designed to protect marine
animals, such as sharks, of hunting. Although this is the case, as I will explain shortly, it has not

been an effective way to stop shark finning as sharks are still dying in their so called protected
oceanic areas (Sea Shepherds).
A decrease in population is due to human willingness/selfishness to kill these creatures
for useless things, such as tasteless soups and ineffective medical remedies, as illustrated in
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a non-profit organization whose focus is on marine
conservation. It is estimated that over 8,000 tons of shark fins are processed each year, which is
only about 5% of a sharks body weight. With that being said, there are thousands of sharks that
are finned alive and then thrown back in the ocean to die a slow painful death as they bleed out.
As if that was not bad enough, the reasons of why people want shark fins, as aforementioned, are
for remedies that have not been proven to work (Sea Shepherd).
The collateral damage caused by finning is not only the promotion of illegal markets, but
the rapid growth of other animals, like rays (the sharks main prey), that would normally grow
slower than usual. This growth in sharks main prey causes a depletion of scallops, their main
prey, damaging the entire reef, as scallops help shape and build reefs (Neo 111). The cause and
effect of shark finning is demonstrated in figure 1.

Figure 1 What happens when we kill the apex predator? From left to right, Shark populations are beginning to be destroyed due to finning. This leads to an uncontrollable incr

It is important to note that there are laws that were specifically made for shark protection.
These laws, however, have not worked effectively. This is evident in the famous Galapagos
Island, as explained by Laurenne Schiller, a research analyst at Ocean Wise. Schiller explains

how countries with high marine life diversity, like the Galapagos Island Marine Reserve, still
commit unlawful fishing practices despite the reserves and strict laws. As mitigation attempts
have failed and there are some lawful fishing practices around, finning of sharks has
demonstrated the worth in peoples head in terms of money, but the actual costs in real life.
Schiller notes that there is a substantial underreporting of shark catches in some part of the
world, like Ecuador, causing a misinterpretation of the damage that overfishing and illegal
fishing is causing (442). In addition to this, the unknown number of shark catches leaves an
unknown scale of affected marine wildlife and territory (443). Without sharks, we will be facing
a world with very little biodiversity (Fairclough).
In agreeance with Laurenne Schiller, I believe that it is important to stop shark finning
with an ecosystem-based approach that will help improve the uncertainties that illegal killings
and overfishing practices have had (Schiller 442). I believe that one way to incorporate an action
within an ecosystem approach is by having adaptive fisheries that strictly enforce these rules and
have licensed fishermen that are allowed to fish within certain areas of conservation for certain
amount of specific fish. In addition, another way to stop shark finning is by having nation's stop
the trade to the finning promoting countries, like China. This can be achieved with the initiative
of people. One can start by signing the pledges found online (such as in Shark Savers), then by
not buying any animal made objects, like shark teeth and soups, and, ultimately, help decrease
the commerce that will force the nation to stop these types of sales and trade due to the low
demands.

Fairclough, Caty. "Shark Finning: Sharks Turned Prey." Smithsonian Institution. Ocean Portal Find Your Blue. Web.11 May 2016.
Schiller, Laurenne. "The Demise of Darwin's Fishes: Evidence of Fishing down and Illegal Shark
Finning in the Galpagos Islands." Wiley Online Library. 23 Apr. 2014. Web. 12 May
2016
Neo, Mei Lin. "The Ecological Significance of Giant Clams in Coral Reef Ecosystems." Science
Direct. Biological Conservation, Jan. 2015. Web. 10 May 2016.
San Diego, University of California. " Sharks." Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Birch
Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Web. 10 May 2016.
"Shark Finning - Sea Shepherd Conservation Society." Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Web.
12 May 2016.
"Sharks' Role in the Oceans." Shark Savers. Wild Aid, Web. 11 May 2016.

Latchford,

Lauren. "Conservation or Culture? Analysis of Shark Finning in the United States." Duke
Space. Master of Environmental Management Degree in the Nicholas School of the
Environment

of

Duke

University,

2013.

Web.

11

May

2016.