Yep, overfishing of sharks has lead to numerous cases of predator release on mesopredators in ocean communities. These spikes in mid trophic levels have all sorts of disastrous consequences. Mesopredators begin predating increasingly on herbivorous fish, which results in increased algae. Algae cover kills reefs. Reefs are not only freaking awesome to dive in, but are incredibly economically important to commercial fisheries that rely on the reefs as spawning grounds for their catch.
Shark declines have lead to ray populations increasing. This has caused damages to bivalve populations that some of those species prey upon. Anyone who has lived on the east coast knows how important oysters and clams are to the economy. And they are necessary to clean up our own messes in the systems. Oysters are incredibly important in filtering water full of all the crap we throw in it due to ag runoff and the like.
Simply put, Chinese culture can go screw itself in this regard. Chinese consumption of shark is harming ecosystems and the economies of those who rely on those ecosystems, the world over.
This is no surprise. Chinese have been screwing up lots of places by poaching. They've eradicated their own native turtle populations and now its becoming more and more common to see southeast box turtles being sold over there. There are people going to the other side of the planet to poach a testudine. That's ridiculous. And rather infuriating that something that has been in the lowland forests I grew up around to now be at risk due to idiots on the other side of the planet.
Simply put, Chinese culture can go screw itself in this regard. Chinese consumption of shark is harming ecosystems and the economies of those who rely on those ecosystems, the world over.
<snipped> but lots of good stuff you posted in a nutshell. I'm not in the fishing trade, but I think it should be mandatory that they make all fishermen pass some kind of environmental/bio type tests in order to get their commercial fishing license. Then force them to take Continuing Education in order to renew their licenses ever 2-3 years like other industries do.
As an Asian, I'll be the first say that Asians will screw the crap out of the environment and not give a crap. Over-harvesting, poaching, not throwing back babies, etc. All of that Kung-Fu spiritualism, one with nature joint....are just KF movie BS.
While I wish that were feasible, the reality is a lot of these people are probably so far under educated it probably wouldn't matter. There are 2 big issues. 1) Too many are just purposely catching shark. That's the big one. Frankly, I think we could go a long way by pulling out of these costly wars and re-deploying some patrol ships in international waters to start sinking some of these fishing vessels. They are economically harming our country, seems fair to me. 2) By catch is a big issue. Too many of these fishermen wanting to cut costs use widely destructive indiscriminate harvest methods like trawling nets that just obliterate everything. That has to stop. There is better technology available that minimizes collateral damage. We need to start putting pressure on gov'ts to enforce upgrade to these techs, including our own.
Last edited by SoCo KungFu; 11-05-2013 at 03:51 PM.
I'm meeting with WildAid today actually.
Gene Ching
Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
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Those who say that banning shark fin soup is "an attack on Asian culture" are full of ****. It would be laughable if it weren't so pathetic. Shark fin soup is NOT an essential part of anyone's diet. It's a novelty item. The very essential role that sharks play in the oceans far outweighs anybody's right to kill even one in such a cruel and wasteful manner. It's not about culture, it's about greed, pure and simple. It's a lack of consideration for anything but their own bottom line. If banning all shark fin soup interferes with someone's right to profit from it or eat it, well that's too **** bad.
Last edited by Jimbo; 01-16-2014 at 10:42 AM.
More and more, I am expecting a day when we begin using military pressure on other countries because their abuse of nature begins to negatively effect our ecosystem functions. And likewise with other countries banding to pressure us in the US if we don't get with it on climate issues and green house emissions.
lmao that's got to be one of the most pathetic videos in existence
yeah it's not good to **** up the eco system but there are far crueller things going on to animals in the west than that but i guess that's just to do with overpopulation
don't forget the human race is just a virus after all
I guess we are who we are
My time in China taught me that, like the West, what is called gourmet or delicacy is, in most every way imaginable, inferior to the common food.
The menu from that Washington Post report - surprised he went for it:11/14/2017 03:33 am ET
Trump Trades In Steak For Shark Fin Soup In Vietnam
The dish, a delicacy in some countries, has been linked to severe animal cruelty.
By Nick Visser
JIM WATSON VIA GETTY IMAGES
Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang toasts President Donald Trump during a state dinner in Hanoi on Nov. 11, 2017.
President Donald Trump reportedly dined on shark fin soup during a meal in Vietnam.
The dish, which is considered an expensive delicacy in some countries, has prompted a widespread outcry from environmental groups for its links to animal cruelty.
According to The Associated Press, Trump ate the dish as part of a state dinner in Hanoi during his 12-day trip across Asia. E&E News confirmed the evening’s menu featured shark fin soup as the meal’s fifth course.
Shark Defenders @SharkDefenders
President Trump dined on shark fin soup in Vietnam
They must have been all out of well done streak and ketchup
Sad.Trump is widely known to be a picky eater who prefers to dine on steak with a side of ketchup. However, the president made no comment about the shark fin soup when it was presented to him, White House pool reports said.10:34 AM - Nov 13, 2017
9 9 Replies 27 27 Retweets 32 32 likes
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John R Platt @johnrplatt
Trump ate #shark fin soup in Vietnam. Extinction in a bowl, on Trump's plate. https://twitter.com/EENewsUpdates/st...63366043189249 …
12:18 PM - Nov 13, 2017
12 12 Replies 74 74 Retweets 60 60 likes
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Shark fin soup is popular in China and demand for the dish, which can sell for up to $400 a bowl, has skyrocketed as the country’s economy has grown.
Based on some estimates, more than 70 million sharks are killed annually to satisfy demand for the soup. To obtain the meat for the dish, fisherman catch the sharks, hack off their fins and throw the animals’ mutilated bodies back in the water. Because the sharks need their fins to swim and breathe, the animals slowly suffocate or bleed to death as they sink to the bottom of the ocean.
Although major awareness campaigns about the environmental impacts of shark fin soup have been successful, the dish is still served in eateries around the world.
Some states, including California, have banned the sale of shark fins and a bill was introduced earlier this year in Congress to extend that ban nationwide.
8:40 p.m.
President Donald Trump is praising Vietnam in brief remarks before a state dinner, calling the nation “one of the great miracles of the world.”
He says the United States and Vietnam have “come a long way,” in an apparent reference to the Vietnam War.
Trump added that “there is nothing more impressive” than the success of the country. He spoke during a state dinner featuring local flavors.
On the menu: steamed rice powder rolls “with fluffy pemmican”; shrimp rolled in fried egg; a seafood soup made with fish maw, shrimp, scallop and shark fin; and Dong Tao chicken rolled with lotus and mushrooms.
Besides dinner, Trump is scheduled for talks with Vietnamese leaders before heading to the Philippines, his last stop on the trip.
Gene Ching
Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
Author of Shaolin Trips
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Threads:Jackie Chan, Yao Ming back ad campaign against ivory, shark fin and rhino horn trade
David Beckham, Lupita Nyong’o, Britain’s Prince William are among the celebrities to have joined charity WildAid’s drive to change attitudes towards the selling of endangered animal parts
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 14 March, 2018, 11:44am
UPDATED : Wednesday, 14 March, 2018, 12:44pm
Kylie Knott
kylie.knott@scmp.com
Chinese basketball great Yao Ming and Hong Kong martial arts star Jackie Chan are among the celebrities taking part in global conservation organisation WildAid’s latest campaign to end the illegal trade in wildlife.
Called “Partnership for the Wild”, the campaign – launched on March 14 in Africa, the US and Asia – aims to raise awareness and cut consumer demand for illicit products such as elephant ivory, rhino horn and shark fin soup.
Shark fin still on most Hong Kong restaurant menus for Lunar New Year banquets, study finds
Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang and actresses Li Bingbing and Angelababy are also campaign ambassadors, as is singer Jay Chou. Britain’s Prince William, former soccer player David Beckham, actresses Lupita Nyong’o and Maggie Q, and businessman Richard Branson are also supporters.
The campaign, created in partnership with outdoor advertising company JCDecaux, will help spread WildAid’s message that “when the buying stops, the killing can too”. It has been translated into six languages and will be launched in more than 10 countries by the end of this year.
Jackie Chan appears on a billboard as part of the WildAid campaign. Photo: WildAid
More than 600 billboards featuring Yao are on display at the Beijing Capital International Airport and in other major cities in China. The campaign will be rolled out in Tanzania, East Africa, this month, and shark protection messages will be promoted in Hong Kong and Thailand.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) says the huge demand for shark fin, regarded as a delicacy at Chinese banquets, is a major reason for the drop in shark numbers. Shark fin is still on the menu in Hong Kong restaurants.
WildAid chief executive Peter Knights said: “Thanks to JCDecaux’s generosity, we will be able to reach more people in more places with messages that will help protect imperilled wildlife.”
WildAid estimates up to 30,000 elephants are killed illegally every year.
Yao, Britain’s Prince William and David Beckham appear in a WildAid campaign ad. Photo: WildAid
In January, Hong Kong lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to ban the trade in ivory, a move environmentalists described as “a lifeline for elephants”. Ivory sales in the city will be phased out gradually, stopping completely in 2021.
WildAid Tiger Claw Champion
Banning Shark Fin Soup
Ivory
Gene Ching
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$420k hkd = $53,518.50 usd
shark fin and seahorse imports from indonesia worth hk$420,000 seized; two hongkongers arrested
published : Thursday, 07 june, 2018, 8:33pm
updated : Thursday, 07 june, 2018, 8:32pm
clifford lo
hong kong customs officers have arrested two company directors on suspicion of smuggling 360kg (794lbs) of dried shark fins and seahorses into the city from indonesia.
A shipping container said to contain fish maw was selected for inspection during a risk assessment at kwai chung port on monday after the consignment arrived from indonesia.
Officers at the customshouse cargo examination compound seized 140kg of suspected dried seahorses and 220kg of dried shark fins, according to the customs and excise department.
The haul had an estimated market value of hk$420,000 (us$53,520).
the goods were seized at hong kong’s kwai chung container terminal. Photo: Martin chan
on wednesday, officers arrested a 64-year-old male director and a 63-year-old female director of a sheung wan dried seafood shop suspected to be involved in the case, the department said in a statement.
The pair were released on bail pending further investigations.
Importing or exporting an endangered species without a licence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and a hk$10 million fine in hong kong. Anyone moving unrecorded cargo faces seven years in prison and a hk$2 million fine.
Any suspected smuggling activity can be reported to hong kong customs 24 hours a day on +852 2545 6182.
Gene Ching
Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
Author of Shaolin Trips
Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart
$420k hkd = $53,518.50 usd
shark fin and seahorse imports from indonesia worth hk$420,000 seized; two hongkongers arrested
published : Thursday, 07 june, 2018, 8:33pm
updated : Thursday, 07 june, 2018, 8:32pm
clifford lo
hong kong customs officers have arrested two company directors on suspicion of smuggling 360kg (794lbs) of dried shark fins and seahorses into the city from indonesia.
A shipping container said to contain fish maw was selected for inspection during a risk assessment at kwai chung port on monday after the consignment arrived from indonesia.
Officers at the customshouse cargo examination compound seized 140kg of suspected dried seahorses and 220kg of dried shark fins, according to the customs and excise department.
The haul had an estimated market value of hk$420,000 (us$53,520).
the goods were seized at hong kong’s kwai chung container terminal. Photo: Martin chan
on wednesday, officers arrested a 64-year-old male director and a 63-year-old female director of a sheung wan dried seafood shop suspected to be involved in the case, the department said in a statement.
The pair were released on bail pending further investigations.
Importing or exporting an endangered species without a licence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and a hk$10 million fine in hong kong. Anyone moving unrecorded cargo faces seven years in prison and a hk$2 million fine.
Any suspected smuggling activity can be reported to hong kong customs 24 hours a day on +852 2545 6182.
Gene Ching
Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
Author of Shaolin Trips
Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart
This is kind of ironic...China tariffs could hurt remaining US shark fin business
By PATRICK WHITTLE, ASSOCIATED PRESS PORTLAND, Maine — Jun 29, 2018, 12:04 AM ET
A new set of Chinese tariffs on U.S. seafood including products made from shark fins could jeopardize what remains of the American fin business.
China announced the tariffs in mid-June that are expected to apply to exported American goods such as lobster and salmon. They also will apply to whole or cut shark fins, as well as shark fin products that are canned or preserved.
The U.S. has long banned "shark finning," the practice of removing the fin from a shark and discarding the animal at sea. But it's still legal to remove and sell the fin of a legally harvested shark after it's brought to land.
The steep tariffs could have implications for American shark fishermen and processors. China is one of the biggest buyers of shark fins.
Gene Ching
Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
Author of Shaolin Trips
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I used to love shark fin soup but stopped eating it after meeting Peter Benchley (author of Jaws) at an ACAP event. ACAP was a precursor to my work with WildAid - I wrote about that in a former TC Media publication, World of Martial Arts (see the NOV+DEC 98 issue)
Shark fin: Cathay Pacific among major Hong Kong firms uniting in pledge to end global trade
Four Seasons Hotel, Shangri-La Group, Conrad Hong Kong and Star Ferry Company some of the big names promising to put pressure on other businesses
PUBLISHED : Saturday, 03 November, 2018, 8:04am
UPDATED : Saturday, 03 November, 2018, 11:11am
David Vetter
david.vetter@scmp.com
Major corporations across five industries in Hong Kong on Friday signed a pledge to put an end to the global trade in shark fin.
Airline Cathay Pacific was joined by businesses ranging from hotels to advertisers in committing to the Global Shark Pledge, an initiative by wildlife protection organisation WildAid.
Hong Kong is a major hub for the trade. As much as 50 per cent of global supply passes through the city, much of it on its way to mainland China.
WildAid says the industry relies on the killing of up to 73 million sharks every year.
Other big names signing the pledge included the Four Seasons Hotel, Shangri-La Group, Conrad Hong Kong, and The Star Ferry Company.
Participants and ambassadors spread the message for WildAid’s Global Shark Pledge on Friday. Photo: Edward Wong
The firms all promised not to use or transport shark fin and to put pressure on other businesses to follow suit.
Activism has helped slash demand for shark fin in China, the world’s biggest consumer, by more than half since 2011, WildAid said. Many large restaurant chains have stopped serving it or have replaced the ingredient with substitutes at traditional Chinese banquets.
“We’ve been running an advertising campaign for a decade now to encourage people in Hong Kong not to buy it. But then we moved on to the airlines and container shipping companies,” said Alex Hofford, a WildAid campaigner.
The result has been 45 airlines – including Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay – refusing to transport shark fin as cargo.
Conservation group WWF says Hong Kong shark fin imports dropped by half between 2007 and 2017.
“A critical mass has formed,” Hofford said. “We’ve lobbied the business sector – now it’s time for them to carry our message forward.”
Claudio Rossi (left), executive chef at Conrad Hong Kong, pictured here with Four Seasons executive chef Chan Yan-tak, said shark fin was completely unnecessary as a culinary ingredient. Photo: Edward Wong
Claudio Rossi, executive chef at Conrad Hong Kong, said shark fin was completely unnecessary as a culinary ingredient.
“There are many alternatives, and in the past 10 years I’ve seen a lot of improvement. Many five-star hotels have stopped using shark fin. With this inspiration and drive, the smaller restaurants can follow our lead,” he said.
Andy Chan, senior director of food and beverage for the Shangri-La Group, said: “We have an obligation as a company to help customers make sustainable food choices. We stopped serving shark fin because it was the right thing to do.”
Last month fast-food chain Maxim’s, Hong Kong’s largest restaurant business, said it would remove all shark fin products from menus by 2020.
Hofford said WildAid now had its sights on other major chains such as Fulum, which is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange.
“The Maxim’s decision really sent shock waves up the shark fin supply chain, so we’re calling on Fulum to sign our pledge because they’re the second biggest restaurant group,” he said. “It would be great if they were the second domino to fall.”
Gene Ching
Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
Author of Shaolin Trips
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