http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/science/earth/11shark.html?_r=1&ref=endangeredandextinctspecies
Picture: A restaurant in San Fransico, California serves shark fin soup. This restaurant is no longer able to serve this soup since the California Legislature has banned the selling of the shark fins.
Summary: california has decided to ban the selling and possesion of shark fins. This is a billion-dollar global trade that has been killing millions and millions of sharks every year! When making soup with a shark fin in Asia, one bowl may cost up to $100. Since the demand for shark fin soup has increasingly gorwn in Asian countries, it has led to over fishing around the globe. Even though it is a big demand in Asia, several celebraties native of those countries and environmentalist group have been trying their hardest to ban the use of shark fins. If the shark finning industry continues to grow, their is a great chance that some shark species can go endangered or even extinct. By starting to ban shark finning, it will slow down the industry and hopefully stop the killing of these innocent sharks.
Opinion/Reflection: I was very surprised while reading this article! To be honest I have never even heard of shark fin soup or shark-finning. This is actually a major issue if you think about it. If all the sharks are being killed, what will eat the other big fish,seals, and other animals? Things may end up getting over populated and more problems can occure! I am glad that some states in the United States are banning the sale and possesion of these shark fins, that way less shark can get hurt!
Questions: 1: What would happen if some shark species went extinct? 2: Why isn't this issue talked about alot in the media? 3: Even if all the states in the U.S. ban shark finning, will the other countries in Asia start hunting for the sharks at greater amounts, since they don't have competition?
Opinion/Reflection: I have always admired the shark in a way. Many people think of sharks as man-eating beasts, but the truth is that way more than half of sharks don't eat people. Seeing this law passed for me is a big deal because not only could it hurt the shark's population, but also could ruin the ecosystem around it. In fact, we just learned about this in science and we are about to have a test on it. If a certain organism is removed from an ecosystem, then the ecosystem could fall apart. If the sharks become extinct because people keep eating them, then the fish that sharks eat will become over-populated. When these fish become overpopulated, then their prey might also become extinct. This allowing the fish's prey's prey to become over-populated. I mainly know this because we had just learned this in class.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to Question #2: The reason why this isn't talked about a lot in the media is because people are more interested in celebrities and gossip. I realize that can be interesting, but we must save the enviroment!
Opinion/Reflection:
ReplyDeleteI actually have heard of shark fin soup before, but I have never tried it. I think this is very good because it can save the shark from becoming endangered or extinct. It also can help the ecosystem or food web! How? Well if the shark's population keeps decreasing that can cause the other small fish that the shark eats to become over-populated. With the shark being there, it keeps an equal population and no animal is hurt, so it all works out! I like the idea of this, and I'm glad that shark fin soup was banned to save the environment!
Answer to Question 1: If the shark species went extinct, and ecosystem can fall apart! Basically if the shark isn't in the ecosystem, the fish that the shark eats will become over-populated and won't have a predator to eat it, which won't be good for the ecosystem! The shark needs to stay in order for the ecosystem to stay equal!
Opinion/Reflection:
ReplyDeleteI'm a vegetarian so I have never tried shark fin soup... But this is very sad. I am really glad this law was passed before these sharks become endangered or extinct. Today in class we were talking about identifying animals who were main parts of ecosystems. Sharks are definitely a main part. Thank god someone realized that they were before it was too late. The sharks keep check on the fish so that there aren't too many. Shark fin soup is banned to not only save the sharks, but the whole ecosystem!
Answer to Question 3: I don't think they will hunt for shark in larger amounts, but they will continue to hunt shark as they always have. Unfortunately the most you can do to stop them is have a person of high authority bring up this situation.
Opinion/Reflection:
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that sharks were even a major fish product in that market. I think it is a good thing they passed this law. But, knowing business, I believe that this fishing will continue, because demand will be fed. As I learned in class recently, if this species decreases dramatically or if it becomes extinct, not only will it harm sharks, it will also effect the entire ecosystem. One species is hurt, they all feel it. Hopefully, that will not happen.
Expansion:
Here is a website all about shark fining and sharks. http://www.sharkwater.com/education.htm
Ask More Questions:
1.How will this effect the fish market. 2. What will happen to the ecosystem around the sharks. 3.What happens to offenders of this ban.