Human Appetite for Sharks Pushes Many Toward Extinction

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Extinction threatens four more species of sharks and rays than a year ago, bringing the total species classified as “threatened” to 20 species, or nearly a third of the world’s 64 species, according to a report (pdf) released today by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Rays and sharks are already two of the most endangered fish groups, researchers say. The threat facing sharks and rays stems largely from overfishing; in many parts of the world, shark meat is considered a delicacy, and some animals become ensnared in fishing nets intended to catch tuna or swordfish. The report also urges governments to halt shark “finning,” the slicing of fins from captured sharks which are then tipped back into the sea to die, which it says is a growing industry providing ingredients for the Asian delicacy, shark fin soup. Although finning bans have been declared in most global waters, little effort is made to enforce them, said the IUCN [Reuters].

The IUCN’s experts say sharks are especially sensitive to over-fishing because they take many years to mature and have relatively few young. It is vital for governments [to] boost monitoring of boats catching them, they said. “Sharks remain virtually unprotected on the high seas,” IUCN shark specialist Sonja Fordham said in a statement [Reuters]. In addition to the 20 endangered species, the report stated that 15 rays and sharks are now classified as “near threatened.”

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/06/25/human-appetite-for-sharks-pushes-many-toward-extinction/

[mRx 16]

HA! Who's the top of the food chain now, b!tches!

On a serious note, finning is a cruel and wasteful procedure.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

HA! Who's the top of the food chain now, b!tches!

On a serious note, finning is a cruel and wasteful procedure.

Do you believe there's a free market answer to the threat of extinction?

[mRx 16]

LOL! I had a feeling you would go there.

To be completely honest, I'm really a Progressive Liberal with Socialist leanings (PLSL).

Nothing heats up my jacuzzi more than suckin' on that Federal nipple.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

LOL! I had a feeling you would go there.

To be completely honest, I'm really a Progressive Liberal with Socialist leanings (PLSL).

Nothing heats up my jacuzzi more than suckin' on that Federal nipple.

Well that settles that.

But seriously....I would like to know if you believe there are free market solutions to overfishing. Do you think we could privatize the oceans?

[BishopMnA 0]

HA! Who's the top of the food chain now, b!tches!

On a serious note, finning is a cruel and wasteful procedure.

Do you believe there's a free market answer to the threat of extinction?

Yeppers....theres a free market answer....

Last time I had sharkfin soup (GUILTY!) I think it was about $50USD a pop...now...with not so many sharks...it will be more expensive. So, unless WalMart comes out with an immitation...I won't be having it no mas...

Peace!

MarkNAam

[one...two...tree 2,762]

HA! Who's the top of the food chain now, b!tches!

On a serious note, finning is a cruel and wasteful procedure.

Do you believe there's a free market answer to the threat of extinction?

Yeppers....theres a free market answer....

Last time I had sharkfin soup (GUILTY!) I think it was about $50USD a pop...now...with not so many sharks...it will be more expensive. So, unless WalMart comes out with an immitation...I won't be having it no mas...

Peace!

MarkNAam

So the rising price of sharkfin soup will keep shark species from going extinct? Interesting.

[mRx 16]

LOL! I had a feeling you would go there.

To be completely honest, I'm really a Progressive Liberal with Socialist leanings (PLSL).

Nothing heats up my jacuzzi more than suckin' on that Federal nipple.

Well that settles that.

But seriously....I would like to know if you believe there are free market solutions to overfishing. Do you think we could privatize the oceans?

I believe that would solve the problem of over-fishing. As a free-market fetishist, you know I believe that incentives matter.

As for torture such as finning, it's a slippery slope. On one hand, while I believe that animals shouldn't have the same rights as humans, I believe in laws that would limit wanton torture against them. On the other hand, finning, is taking the valuable part of the shark, and discarding the rest. Isn't that done with all animals slaughtered? Slaughterers have learned to economize the entire animal that they raise, because it yields them a greater profit, but I'm sure there are still parts that are uneconomizable (don't think this is a word ). Where do you draw the line? If the fishers instantly kill the shark, then would it be OK? Or if they used the animal 100%, would their killing then be justified?

The Libertarian view would be that animals are property, and any aggression towards them is unpunishable as they are owned property. Just as no-one can punish me for breaking my own TV. I don't agree with this viewpoint though.

[mRx 16]

HA! Who's the top of the food chain now, b!tches!

On a serious note, finning is a cruel and wasteful procedure.

Do you believe there's a free market answer to the threat of extinction?

Yeppers....theres a free market answer....

Last time I had sharkfin soup (GUILTY!) I think it was about $50USD a pop...now...with not so many sharks...it will be more expensive. So, unless WalMart comes out with an immitation...I won't be having it no mas...

Peace!

MarkNAam

Very good point, Mark. Price and scarcity go hand-in-hand, discouraging extinction. If sharks were extinct, then shark-fishers would be job-less.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

LOL! I had a feeling you would go there.

To be completely honest, I'm really a Progressive Liberal with Socialist leanings (PLSL).

Nothing heats up my jacuzzi more than suckin' on that Federal nipple.

Well that settles that.

But seriously....I would like to know if you believe there are free market solutions to overfishing. Do you think we could privatize the oceans?

So, you are an advocate of Privateering?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

LOL! I had a feeling you would go there.

To be completely honest, I'm really a Progressive Liberal with Socialist leanings (PLSL).

Nothing heats up my jacuzzi more than suckin' on that Federal nipple.

Well that settles that.

But seriously....I would like to know if you believe there are free market solutions to overfishing. Do you think we could privatize the oceans?

So, you are an advocate of Privateering?

You silly non-sequitur you.

[Mark&Steph 0]

I have a great issue of National Geographic that dedicated a series of articles of fishing and its impact on the oceans. They talked about finning, the huge decline in Bluefin Tuna, and bycatch in fishing nets, etc. Here's one of the articles.

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/...ish-crisis.html

It's good reading. I'll have to see if I can dig up the others.

[BishopMnA 0]

HA! Who's the top of the food chain now, b!tches!

On a serious note, finning is a cruel and wasteful procedure.

Do you believe there's a free market answer to the threat of extinction?

Yeppers....theres a free market answer....

Last time I had sharkfin soup (GUILTY!) I think it was about $50USD a pop...now...with not so many sharks...it will be more expensive. So, unless WalMart comes out with an immitation...I won't be having it no mas...

Peace!

MarkNAam

So the rising price of sharkfin soup will keep shark species from going extinct? Interesting.

Granted...it might seem a little fundamental and simplistic...but I believe that is the first step...let the market weed it out. Second, per the article, sounds like there is legislation already in place that isn't being enforced...so enforce it.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Maybe we should start eating lawyers to help keep sharks from going extinct. They probably taste the same.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Maybe we should start eating lawyers to help keep sharks from going extinct. They probably taste the same.

Damn, Spooky...you don't want the lawyers after you.