Shark Fin Soup or Shark Conservation Travel?

by David McGuire, Shark Stewards

(Dreamstime.com)

The Great White shark slides effortlessly up from the blue depths.  At first an intangible shape, one twist of the powerful tail transforms the distant fish into a formidable reality.  There are few experiences as exciting as diving with a shark in the wild. I have been diving and surfing around sharks most of my life yet actually seeing the shark is a rare experience. 

Thanks to films like Jaws and Shark Week, our perception is that sharks are vicious man eating beasts out to tear any unsuspecting victim to pieces. The truth is quite the opposite, and most sharks swim away when sensing a human presence.  Even the large predatorial species like White sharks and Tiger sharks investigate and generally avoid humans. Of the approximately five hundred of species of sharks, most are less than three feet long, and only a few species are responsible for biting humans.

Death by shark attack is more rare than lightening strikes, yet the perception remains that sharks are dangerous. In fact, many species of shark are becoming endangered.

Shark population estimates are difficult to come by, and most fisheries do not account for sharks, yet we do know that shark populations are experiencing significant declines from overfishing, to longlining, to shark finning.

(Terry Goss / Marine Photobank)

Shark finning is the practice of catching a shark, cutting off the fins and discarding the still living shark overboard. This wasteful and cruel practice is driven by the relatively new demand for the Asian delicacy shark fin soup. Shark fin, known in China as yu chi or “fish wing,” is used as a textural additive to shark fin soup–a delicacy consumed by wealthy and powerful Chinese since at least the start of the Sung dynasty in 960 A.D. Once valued by a small group of the elite, growing prosperity has created broader demand for this high-status dish to celebrate weddings or business luncheons. A burgeoning demand for shark fin soup in both Asia and the West motivates fishers to kill the sharks only for their fins. Although shark meat brings pennies on the pound and can spoil rapidly on a boat, the dried fin can bring up to $800 a pound, and as much as $100 a bowl.

One study estimates that at the current rate of exploitation some large oceanic shark species may be completely fished out by the year 2050. Over 100 species, including great white sharks, are vulnerable or threatened. Although research indicates that apex predators like sharks are important for maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems, sharks are at best disregarded, or at worst killed for a few fins. With a few slices, a transition from sleek ocean predator to a handful of high-priced body parts is easily achieved.

(Jessica King / Marine Photobank)

Finning is an ignoble death for an animal so consummately adapted to the sea. With only a tiny percentage of the animal consumed, this practice is also a terrible waste of food for a growing population reliant on protein from the sea. Despite recent estimates that less than 10 percent remain of some large oceanic shark populations, the hunt for shark fins is escalating, and the practice is unregulated in most parts of the world.

Diving the Channel Islands of Santa Barbara as a marine biology student, we would frequently encounter Blue sharks, a delicately built shy shark about six feet long.  Yet even these gentle creatures are becoming increasingly rare as they suffer death as bycatch in the tuna longline and swordfish gillnet fishery. Once commonly seen at these islands, I haven’t seen a blue shark in over a decade.

After five years of effort, Sea Stewards and a host of non-profits worked together to pass a shark fin trade ban in California.  The law that goes fully into effect this year will make the sale, possession and the trade of shark fin illegal in the state. Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Illinois have followed suit, and five other US states are considering similar legislation including Texas which is experiencing poaching of sharks from Mexico and where we have just introduced legislation to ban the trade of shark fin. Cites and even some countries across the globe are implementing similar legislation to stop the destruction of shark populations.

Increasingly, our curiosity is transforming from morbid fear to intrigue and excitement, as divers are experiencing sharks first hand through dive tourism. Perhaps seeing sharks first-hand–whether in a cage, an aquarium, or in the open ocean–will motivate more people to protect them. My own experience diving and filming sharks in the wild has convinced me that sharks are beautiful animals, and that all ocean life is important and worth protecting.

Ways to Get Involved:

•       Are any restaurants serving shark fin soup in your town? If so, please share a petition to stop such practice. If such petition does not exist in your town, then make one!
• 
  
•       Swim for Sharks is a shark protection campaign aimed at limiting shark finning and the shark fin trade. The funding will be used to complete a short but effective film to promote shark awareness and save sharks from extinction. The film will help us reach a broad audience through p
  
  
  romotion at film festivals, schools and on social media to promote shark and ocean awareness. Contributions will also help support our Texas Shark Fin Ban.
• 
  
•       Go on a Shark Conservation Tour to the Cocos Islands, the Galapagos, Isla MujeresMexico, or Belize.

Dead or Alive: The Promise Shark Conservation Tourism

When many people hear the words “shark” and “tourism” in the same sentence, the first thing they think of is how to avoid them. Unfortunately these people are missing the opportunity to witness and learn about one of nature’s truly astounding creatures. While shark attacks are real and many movies and media outlets capitalize on this fear (see Channel, Discovery), there are common sense ways to avoid danger and have a great experience while contributing to shark conservation efforts.

The real predator

According to the conservation group Oceana, an average of 4 people per year were killed by sharks and only 3 fatal attacks in the US from 2006 – 2010 (out of 179 total). Beachgoers are more than 3 times more likely to drown than to die from a shark attack. Compare that to the more than 25 million sharks killed by humans each year, and it becomes clear who is more dangerous.

Sharks, as top predators, are critically important to the health of the ocean. One of the biggest issues why many shark species are endangered is due to the international trade in shark fins, used as a delicacy in shark fin soup, consumed primarily in Asia. According to Shark Advocates International, they are also valued for their meat, hides, teeth, and livers. Due to the facts that sharks grow slowly, take a long time to reproduce, and give birth to small numbers of offspring, these fish are especially susceptible to human threats.

Tourism As A Conservation Tool

One strategy to help protect and research sharks that is gaining popularity is ecotourism. A recent study of sharks around Costa Rica’s Cocos Island estimated the value of a hammerhead shark to tourism at US $1.6 million each, compared to just under $200 it could bring if sold. A 2011 study by the Australian Institute of Marine Science had an even more dramatic difference, estimating a lifetime value of nearly US $2 million dollars for a reef shark in Palau vs. only $108 for sale in a fish market. Governments are starting to take notice of this economic value; countries including Australia, Palau, and the Cook Islands have recently created large new marine protected areas to protect sharks and other ocean life.

While diving to see sharks has its abstract value, many tour operators and volunteer organizations are taking advantage of shark tourism to directly benefit conservation. SEEtheWILD partner Sea Turtle Restoration Project has a unique trip for divers to the Cocos Island where people can help to tag hammerheads as part of a research program. In Belize, Earthwatch Institute has a volunteer program in Belize to study shark populations and the value of marine protected areas.

Another way that travelers can support shark research is by participating in the Whale Shark Photo ID Library. Anyone with underwater photos of whale sharks can upload them to this website for identification, helping to build this important resource for conservation efforts. Finally, some shark trips generate donations for conservation efforts, including this whale shark trip to Isla Mujeres (Mexico).

Playing it safe

For those who get sweaty at the mention of sharks, there are many ways to keep yourself safe when in the water with sharks. The easiest way to do that is to swim with the least threatening of sharks, the whale sharks. Though these giant fish can be 40 feet long and weigh 20 tons, they don’t have teeth and are not aggressive to humans. Also, by remaining calm around sharks and keeping your distance, you can minimize the risk of being around these fascinating creatures. If you are diving or snorkeling in areas where sharks live, ask your guide about what to expect and what species to look out for.

Check out SEEtheWILD’s shark conservation tours and volunteer programs:

            -Mexico Whale Sharks

            -Whale sharks & turtles

            -Belize shark research

            -Undiscovered Belize

            -Galapagos Adventure

            -Cocos Island Shark & Turtle Research