Process The business of shark finning is defined as

removing and collecting the shark’s fin while

the shark is still alive and throwing the shark

back in the water. When the shark is thrown

back in, it either gets eaten by other fish or

drowns because it can no longer swim and

have its gills extract oxygen from the water.

Abstract Sharks are the premier predator in the ocean

and even with that being said are close to

being extinct due to shark finning. The really

seems no purpose in shark finning except for

shark fin soup. For example along the US

East Coast where large sharks such as black

tip and tiger sharks have been virtually

eliminated, there have been declines in

shellfish numbers and a reduction in water

quality, shellfish filter sea

water.(stopsharkfinning.net). So with shark

finning continuing it doesn’t just affect them

but us humans and the ecosystem of the

water. If sharks die out than the fish that

shark prey will become to plentiful and affect

the balance of the ecosystem. There are laws

in place banning shark finning in federal

waters but the hard part is having people

enforce it considering the ocean is a big place

and the law cant be everywhere at once.

.

SHARK FINNING Rene V. Duran

Works Cited

United States Conservation

The U.S. has been one of the strongest

leaders in helping maintain the survival of

sharks. the 2010 Shark Conservation Act

requires that all sharks in the United States

be brought to shore with their fins naturally

attached, although individual states may have

additional requirements for shark fisheries in

state waters. (mnfs.noaa.gov). The U.S. also

works worldwide with other fisheries to help

manage other bodies and help promote the

survival of sharks around the world.

.

Economic Effects Sharks are declining very rapidly due to shark

finning and commercial fishing. . Populations of

many shark species have fallen by over 90%.

Since 1972 the number of blacktip sharks has

fallen by 93%, tiger sharks by 97% and bull

sharks, dusky sharks and smooth

hammerheads by 99%.(animal.discovery.com)

Recent over fishing of sharks is becoming very

harmful to the marine life. Sharks are signs of a

healthy marine ecosystem. Sharks are known

as the wolves of the sea because they act as

the controllers for the population sizes of their

prey and the other species that are beneath

them in the food chain.

1.http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/index.htm

2.http://www.hsi.org/issues/shark_finning/

3.http://animal.discovery.com/endangered-

species/shark-finning.htm

4.http://www.audubonmagazine.org/articles/conserv

ation/saving-sharks-finning

5.http://oceana.org/sites/default/files/o/fileadmin/oce

ana/uploads/Sharks/Predators_as_Prey_FINAL_F

INAL.pdf

6.http://withoutmethereisnou.wordpress.com/2010/1

2/28/why-sharks-are-so-important-to-our-

ecosystem/

7.http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2012/08/08_13_

12new_shark_week_splash_page.html

Purposes Shark fins are used to be constructed into

powders, capsules, and some traditional

Chinese medicines. The claims of taking these

so called medicines is due to some health

benefits. Some of the benefits are to include:

improved blood nourishment, increased in

appetite, and increased energy in internal

organs to help process faster and smoother.

Some health benefits of consuming these

medicines even go as far as saying they cure

HIV and cancer. Till this day there is no

evidence. Another purpose of shark finning is

shark fin soup which is an Asian delicacy. The

high demand for it has mainly come from

China and countries from the Far East. Shark

fin soup can easily sell for $100 a bowl and is

known to be purchased for celebrations so that

they can show off their high taste.

Human Effects There are numerous claims of benefits of shark

fin consumption, but there is only some proof

that consuming may provide to degenerative

diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and

Alzheimer’s. The reason for this is due to the

neurotoxic amino acid-methylamino-Lalanine

(BMAA) that is found in shark tissue. BMAA is

formed by cyanobacteria which is also known

as blue green algae. Sharks that come into

contact with it through biomagnification, a

process in concentrations of toxic matter

increase with each successive line in the food

web. Concentrations of BMAA found in the

tissue increase when consumed by humans.