Taiwan has passed a law that will make it illegal, beginning next year, for fishermen to bring shark fins minus the rest of the carcasses to port, a measure designed to curtail the cruel and wasteful practice of shark finning (see
Reuters and Al Jazeera video reports below.)
Reuters and Al Jazeera video reports below.)
Taiwan, which has the world's fourth-largest shark fishery, becomes the first
nation in Asia to adopt such a measure. Shark fins, which are used to make soup,
are most popular in Chinese communities. The soup is considered a delicacy and
status symbol; a single bowl can sell for up to $200 per bowl.
Shark
finning entails slicing fins from captured sharks and tossing the rest of the
shark overboard, often while it's still alive, to make room for more fins.
Taiwan's law is designed to encourage the landing of the entire shark so the
rest of the meat isn't wasted, and so fewer sharks are killed.
While this
appears to be a positive step toward shark conservation -- shark finning is
responsible for the killing of up to 75 million sharks per year -- some say it
doesn't go far enough to protect against an unsustainable method of fishing.
For example, Taiwanese fishermen may still land fins in other nations.
Another concern is that some fishermen will simply bribe inspectors hired to
enforce the new law. Additionally, the new law does not reduce the number of
sharks that can be caught each year.
See the videos for more
information. Both contain graphic footage that helps to reveal the essence of
finning.
nation in Asia to adopt such a measure. Shark fins, which are used to make soup,
are most popular in Chinese communities. The soup is considered a delicacy and
status symbol; a single bowl can sell for up to $200 per bowl.
Shark
finning entails slicing fins from captured sharks and tossing the rest of the
shark overboard, often while it's still alive, to make room for more fins.
Taiwan's law is designed to encourage the landing of the entire shark so the
rest of the meat isn't wasted, and so fewer sharks are killed.
While this
appears to be a positive step toward shark conservation -- shark finning is
responsible for the killing of up to 75 million sharks per year -- some say it
doesn't go far enough to protect against an unsustainable method of fishing.
For example, Taiwanese fishermen may still land fins in other nations.
Another concern is that some fishermen will simply bribe inspectors hired to
enforce the new law. Additionally, the new law does not reduce the number of
sharks that can be caught each year.
See the videos for more
information. Both contain graphic footage that helps to reveal the essence of
finning.
