The Fate of the Hammerhead Shark

Continuous shark finning is an immediate problem for sharks. In recent years the hammerhead shark family is continuously threatened to the extent that the scalloped hammerhead sharks in particular are now officially a part of the endangered species list.

Source: PRETOMA

As seen in Figure 1, scalloped hammerhead sharks are threatened if not endangered in almost all parts of the ocean. Because the sharks have a normal migratory path, fishers prey on them at specific locations quickly reducing the numbers with each catch. As seen in Figure 2, the exploitation rate exceeds the rebound rate thus making the growth rate reflect how the sharks cannot reproduce and grow fast enough to keep up with the constant shark finning. The lack of time needed to reproduce results in the eventual extinction of the species unless the culture of shark finning changes.

Figure 1. Source: NOAA

Figure 2. Source: Boris Worma, et al. "Global catches, exploitation rates, and rebuilding options for sharks"

Another Effect of Shark Finning - The Food Chain

Sharks are at the top of the food chain in the ocean because they are natural predators that keep the food chain in check. They regulate the amount of smaller fish and organisms living in the ocean by preying on them. As a severe consequence of shark finning, the decrease in the number of sharks directly results in the increase of other organisms and decrease in others causing an imbalance in the food chain. As some organisms in the middle of the food chain increase in numbers, those at the bottom decrease in numbers resulting in the eventual demise of everything in the food chain. Human intervention is causing a restructuring of the ecosystem in the ocean. Sharks control the population and the fewer of them there are each year, the more disrupted the food chain in the ocean becomes.

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

The Point of Intersection Between the Anthrosphere and the Bisophere

Many people are aware of the different spheres within the earth system, but what about the relationships between them and how they affect everything on Earth? Because this blog is about shark finning, I will be focusing specifically on the point of intersection between the anthrosphere and the biosphere. The anthrosphere, all human affected parts of the Earth, is not a particularly well known sphere as it is a relatively new concept compared to the biosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and atmosphere. Scientists argue that the anthrosphere is considered a sphere of its own because the impact of humans on Earth is too apparent to neglect. Especially when dealing with the effects humans are making on the biosphere, all living organisms inhabited parts of the Earth, much attention to the connection between the two is needed.

Source: Environmental Chemistry, 6th Edition. Copyright Lewis Publishers, an imprint of CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida©

So let us talk about shark finning as an example of the what happens when the two spheres intersect with each other. Sharks are predators of the ocean at the top of the food chain preying on other organisms. However, they are becoming the prey as humans interfere with their lives by constantly shark finning. According to scientists, over 100 million sharks die from the hands of humans for their shark fins. The massive numbers are driving the shark population to extinction through cruel meals disrupting the biosphere. The disruption in the biosphere also results in the disruption in the anthrosphere. Humans consume shark fins through shark finning resulting in the exposure to neurotoxins such as BMAA and mercury causing neurodegenerative diseases. The very act of shark finning results in overall negative consequences for both sharks and humans. Yes, people may be earning a huge sum of money from the shark trade industry, but the consumption factor is still present. Humans kill sharks for their shark fins, but shark fins at the same time are slowly harming humans as well. 

Is there a reason why all the spheres have an effect on each other? Yes! It is because the earth system is dynamic meaning a change in one sphere results in a change in all the others. Dynamism is how the Earth works in order to maintain itself. 

Fishers Saw Into Whale Shark Alive in China

Just a little over a month ago in August 2015, a video of a live whale shark being sawed into in southern China brought massive attention to the issue of animal cruelty specifically to sharks. According to the New York Times, the fishers sawed into the shark because it alone sold for $31,000. Many animal activists fought against the action stating that the whale shark was under the protected animals list in China making it illegal for the fishers to cut it apart. Others commented on how inhumane it was to cut into it while it was still alive. In that case, the fishers were trying to sell off the whole shark and not just the shark fins as it proved to be more lucrative. However, the general idea behind the situation was the same - killing sharks makes a profit. Currently there are no laws specifically against killing sharks in China, but there are ones against killing protected animals. Even then, many fishers find loopholes to continue and to sustain the shark trade industry.

The men in the video physically saw the shark into pieces as it breathes heavily from the pain. Humans are actively intervening in the shark's life and the people standing around watching are doing nothing about it. Many people may be indifferent to shark finning even though they hear about the consequences for both sharks and humans because they never see the actual action of it. However, in this case even if the bystanders in the video are not doing anything about it, the mass spreading of this video has people all around the world objecting to the cruelty.

Source: YouTube Video - LIVE Giant Whale Shark being Sawed into pieces and sold at a Chinese market while still alive

Who am I and what's happening in California?

Welcome to my blog on shark finning! I'm Jessica and am currently on exchange at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. I'm originally from San Francisco, California with my home university being University of California, Los Angeles. This blog is meant to serve as a source for a broad overview on the issue of shark finning which is also an important point where the biosphere and the anthrosphere interact with each other. I'll be periodically posting about certain aspects of the issue, especially the interaction, in more detail and the ongoing news about shark finning itself.

Speaking about ongoing news, according to the New York Times, just two months ago in July 2015 the federal appeals court of California deemed that California's shark fin ban is legal and does not violate any preexisting laws regarding shark finning. However, there were arguments made by others about how the law specifically attacks the Asian community precisely because shark finning is the basis of producing the Asian delicacy - shark fin soup. The court stated in defense that the law exists not to target the Asian community, but more importantly to prevent animal cruelty, to preserve wildlife, and to protect human health. Because the federal appeals court is aware of the repercussions that come with shark finning, its action of upholding the law serves to benefit sharks and humans. Despite a long history of shark finning in the U.S., the government is taking initiative to recognize and to control the issue.