What is Shark Finning?

So what exactly is shark finning? The image of cutting off shark fins and throwing bodies back into the ocean is not an everyday thought most people have, but that is precisely what happens during the process of shark finning. In most cases, the primary dorsal, secondary dorsal, caudal, anal, pelvic, and pectoral fins are all removed while the sharks are still alive. When the fins are cut, the bulk body of sharks tend to take up too much room in the sea vessels resulting in the bodies being thrown overboard making room for more.

Source: "Shark finning diagram" by Grolltech - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons