Shark Finning: The Consequences Of Shark Finning

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With such booming fishing industries, there are several species of fish out there that can handle the effect of human influences with proper regulations. Although, sharks are not one of these species. Shark finning is an act of catching sharks and harvesting the fins off of them while they are still alive. After the process, they are let back out to either drown or die of bleeding out, and it’s beginning to become out of control. Shark finning should be more heavily regulated due to the increase of illegal demands in the economy for shark fins, the drastic decrease in shark populations, and the negative impacts the low number of sharks cause to the ecosystem around the species. Early on since the 14th century, shark fin soup has been a …show more content…

With the increased demands due to the large paycheck, this correlates to how well these poachers are actually doing their job. Over the years, research has estimated, “Approximately 100 million sharks are killed globally each year,” and also that, “some shark populations have decreased by 60-70% due to human shark fisheries,” (Fairclough 4). In addition to the increased rates of shark finning over the years, the low rate of reproduction within the shark population does not help their case. It causes a hardship in the species; not being able to replenish their numbers nowhere near the rate they are being diminished could lead to a rate of endangerment that wouldn’t be able to be reversed. Although at the rate that’s happening right now, it may be sooner than later. Multiple researches have come together at Planet Save to summarize the possible end result of sharks if tendencies were to keep up. With outnumbering death rates, and the huge boom in the market for shark fins, sharks could face extinction in a mere few decades. (Ayre 2). With over a dozen species already holding the label of endangerment, action needs to be taken now. Especially with such a small window for reproduction rates to pick up, they would need much more time than what they have now to get back to the point the rates were at almost two decades

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