BORE-HEAD007

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Experts Swim Against Shark Fin Debate - media hype is responsible for "misconceptions"

Seeded on Tue Feb 21, 2012 1:57 PM EST

Article Source: Wall Street Journal

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Seeded by bore-head007

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By Shibani Mahtani

Just as the tides seem to be turning against the consumption of shark fin soup – even in Asia, where the delicacy has long been a staple on banquet menus – some marine life experts are arguing that banning the sale of shark fins is pointless.

Speaking at a seminar organized by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, Dr. Giam Choo Hoo, a member of a United Nations body on endangered species, said that media hype is responsible for “misconceptions” about the shark-fishing industry. Arguing against widely-circulated images showing bloodied sharks struggling as their fins are hacked off – popularized by the likes of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay – Dr. Giam said a vast majority of sharks are not killed to feed the tastes of increasingly-affluent Chinese consumers who consider the dish a status symbol.

“Most fins are humanely taken from landed, dead sharks,” said Dr. Giam, who is a committee member on the U.N. Conventional on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and once Singapore’s chief veterinary officer.

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Public Discussion (17)

bore-head007

Dr. Giam raised this point, too, arguing that many countries such as Germany, France, Australia and Iceland have long killed sharks for their meat. Sharks, he says, are not endangered – of the 400 species of the animal, only six have been considered endangered by the U.N.’s CITES.

Of 400 specie, 6 are considered endangered.

1 vote

#1 - Tue Feb 21, 2012 1:58 PM EST

Woody316

JAPAN

"They kill things we like"

-Family Guy

Why do I find it hard to believe that it's taken from dead sharks? I don't think your supposed to eat rotting meat and it's not like sharks swim up to land before they die.

#2 - Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:42 PM EST

mf-3735877

Most fins are humanely taken from landed, dead sharks

I don't believe that at all and it's especially suspect coming from a report in the Wall Street Journal. You will always be able to find 2 sides to any controversy but ultimately only one is right. A significant number of live sharks are harvested just for their fins, which are consumed as a status symbol or aphrodisiac. Sharks fin are not preventing starvation anywhere. Also, saying that it's OK to exploit one species because someone else is somewhere else is piss poor logic and excuse.

Sino culture does not trump conservation period.

1 vote

#3 - Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:34 PM EST

bore-head007

Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, Dr. Giam Choo Hoo, a member of a United Nations body on endangered species, said that media hype is responsible for “misconceptions” about the shark-fishing industry.

The Wall Street Journal did not extract the misconception statement of , Dr. Giam Choo Hoo, a member of a United Nations body on endangered species

1 vote

#3.1 - Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:47 PM EST

mf-3735877

Dr. Giam Choo Hoo, a member of a United Nations body on endangered species

Yes but what is the consensus of experts? The Dr. stated an opinion, not much if any evidence was presented, and there are a large number of experts that disagree with him. Wall Street Journal didn't misquote him but they presented only a select viewpoint - that makes it misleading.

Authority alone is a logical fallacy.

#3.2 - Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:40 AM EST

mf-3735877

Fins can command $200 a pound in Asian markets, whereas shark meat yields fishing fleets no more than one percent as much revenue per pound.

In other words there is tremendous financial incentive to fin sharks. Where there is demand someone will supply, regardless if sharks are endangered or not.

http://www.sharkalliance.org/content.asp?did=940

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/09/08/what-the-california-shark-fin-ban-means/

http://www.sciencenews.org/?_kk=science/view/generic/id/7907/title/Food_for_Thought__New_Estimates_of_the_Shark-Fin_Trade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_finning

Just like global warming denial, some conservative rag finds a renegade expert and suddenly there's a controversy. Um, no there's not. The finning must stop.

#4 - Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:51 PM EST

bore-head007

While admitting the need for stepped-up regulation of the industry, the three agreed that “live finning” – the process of cutting off the sharks’ fins, then throwing the animals back into the sea, which has become a rallying point for many animal rights groups – is not a prevalent practice, and is widely-condemned by the industry.

#4.1 - Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:17 PM EST

mf-3735877

is not a prevalent practice

Define prevalent practice. How many sharks are live finned? Where's it happening? Someone essentially saying that's it's not a big deal, don't worry about it isn't good enough. I've read reports and seen pictures and video from diverse and credible sources that live finning is happening a lot.

is widely-condemned by the industry

That's all bark and no bite. What is the industry doing to stop it?

#4.2 - Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:31 AM EST

bore-head007

First. I do not condone shark finning, and wasting the shark to the sea. Never have. never would.

Second, I notice some scorn in your tone, and only hope that it's not directed towards me, the seeder of an article.

Define prevalent practice.

That depends on who writes about the issue.

How many sharks are live finned? Where's it happening?

I have no idea. I'm not an Asian shark fisherman.

Someone essentially saying that's it's not a big deal, don't worry about it isn't good enough.

Dr. Giam Choo Hoo, a member of a United Nations body on endangered species,?

a member of the UN body on endangered species? I thought you would like the UN.

I've read reports and seen pictures and video from diverse and credible sources that live finning is happening a lot.

Post your links, and we can discuss their credability.

#4.3 - Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:48 AM EST

Woody316

is not a prevalent practice, and is widely-condemned by the industry.

So is whaling and slaughtering dolphins, but both are still done in Japan.

#4.4 - Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:55 AM EST

mf-3735877

Bore Head - Sorry it took a while to reply but I can't do it from work. Anyway, no scorn towards you! You may be a cantankerous old fart that I disagree with on some issues but I still respect you.

However you did correctly detect scorn in my tone, but the scorn is towards the article and the notion that live shark finning is a minor issue. Secondarily I have some scorn towards the WSJ and I don't trust them to be objective now that Murdock owns them.

Speaking of being sensitive what are you implying by

a member of the UN body on endangered species? I thought you would like the UN.

? Regardless of source I look at everything critically. Some sources may be more credible than others but none gets a free pass from me. The issues and the evidence trump the source.

You asked me to post some links so here goes. I know you aren't fond of ENGOs so I did a quick search to day to come up with news reports on finning instead of ENGO reports. Here's a sampling:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/oct/19/shark-massacre-colombia

http://www.hd.net/blogs/all-for-a-bowl-of-soup-january-24-2012/

www.hsi.org/issues/shark_finning/qa/shark_finning_faq.html

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/asiapacific/news/article_1691436.php/Taiwan-boat-fined-for-shark-finning-in-Palau

http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/11/03/us-sharks-idUSTRE4A231A20081103

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Fishermans_gold_Shark_fin_hunt_empties_west_African_seas_999.html

#4.5 - Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:01 PM EST

bore-head007

Thanks mf, I investigated the links, and recognised some details of Pew lineage, but not lot of bio info on authors.

I'm not saying its not a reality, but its one of the first articles I have read that said it was'nt as prevalent as many environmental authors would want the public to believe.

Many folks with the green colored clothing refer relentlessly to the UN. I may hav not included that in the proper context.

1 vote

#4.6 - Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:27 PM EST

mf-3735877

What? No comment on being a cantankerous old fart? You must be tired:-)

1 vote

#4.7 - Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:29 PM EST

bore-head007

Ha! Still in denial! lol

2 votes

#4.8 - Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:35 PM EST

Grisham

Finning should stop. I very much doubt they are humanely taken from beached sharks either. That's a load of bull@!$%#.

#5 - Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:30 PM EST

bore-head007

While admitting the need for stepped-up regulation of the industry, the three agreed that “live finning” – the process of cutting off the sharks’ fins, then throwing the animals back into the sea, which has become a rallying point for many animal rights groups – is not a prevalent practice, and is widely-condemned by the industry.

#5.1 - Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:18 PM EST

Kavika

''only fin dead sharks'' what a load of crap that is.

1 vote

BORE-HEAD007

Experts Swim Against Shark Fin Debate - media hype is responsible for "misconceptions"

By Shibani Mahtani

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BORE-HEAD007

Experts Swim Against Shark Fin Debate - media hype is responsible for "misconceptions"

By Shibani Mahtani

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