How Shark Hunting is Hurting the Shark

Population

A Shark Stewards Report

Aspen Evans
Table of Contents
Abstract 2

Decline in Shark Population 2

Shark Hunting 2

Shark Fin Sales 3

Shark Fin Trade Act 4

How Communities Can Protect the Shark Population 4

What a Trade Act Will Do for the Shark Population 5

Conclusion 5

References 6

Figures
Figure 1 3

Figure 2 4

Abstract
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Sharks are typically thought of as threatening creatures. People tend to look at them as
such fascinating animals when people see the dorsal fin cutting through the water but
yet are still afraid of them. This fear is magnified even though sharks on average kill
fewer than twenty people a year worldwide, whereas cars slaughter tens of thousands
every year. It’s really important people learn to protect creatures they’re even afraid of.
Sharks are important contributors to the fishing economy because they help keep a
balance of other wildlife in the ocean. Fishermen think catching a shark is a mark of
their skill level. Not only is it a pride moment but the shark also sells for a large sum of
money. The most valuable part of the shark is its fin. This is the main cause of the shark
population’s decline. This document is going to focus on the decline of the shark
population, and its major factors as well as how this organization is trying to help.

Decline in Shark Population

Shark Hunting
Every year, humans kill an estimated 100 million sharks. (Shark Finning, 2013). This is
harmful for the biodiversity of the oceans. People have made them the top predators of
the sea and they have now become a major hunting sport for people. Shark finning has
become the most common practice of hunting. Shark finning is removing the shark’s
dorsal fin and discarding of the rest of the shark while it’s still alive. The shark will then
die from suffocation from the lack of being able to swim or from bleeding out. Sharks
have slow reproductive rates and have slow growth, their extinction is getting more
likely as shark hunting grows more popular. The sharks that are at the greatest risk are
scalloped hammerheads and the smooth hammerhead, this is shown in Shark Finning
statistics that “Today, some shark populations have decreased by 60-70% due to human
shark fisheries.” (Shark Finning, 2013)

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 Figure 1: Various Shark Fins

This isn’t only dangerous for the shark population but causes an unequal balance in their
ecosystem. An example of this is that a prey of smooth hammerheads is rays and rays’
prey on scallops and clams. So, with a decrease in the shark population you increase the
ray population and decrease the scallop and clam population which hurts the seafood
market. Research shows that a live shark, “over the course of a lifetime, is worth $1.6
million, which is a great deal higher than $200 the dead shark can sell for.” This statistic
is an example of not only how the ecosystem is being harmed but also the economy.

Shark Fin Sales

Most of the time fishermen prefer to just remove the shark’s fin’s instead of bringing in
the whole shark because the fins are far more valuable. The shark also takes up more
space on the boat. Finning has become more popular because they have high monetary
and cultural value. Shark fins can go for as much as $500 a pound. In addition to the
monetary value, the fins are used in shark fin soup which is a symbol of status in Chinese
culture. This soup is also believed to have medicinal benefits, the popularity of this soup
has just continued to grow with time. Even with growing support on banning shark
fishing, many restaurants found around the world continue to serve shark fin soup. This
is especially true in Chinese cities who believe cutting it out of their diets is difficult.

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 Figure 2: Shark Population Decline Due to Shark Finning

Shark Fin Trade Act

In 2019 the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act was passed. This act places a ban on the
trade of shark fins in the United States. This has been a highly supported act because of
how popular shark finning has become. Even though it’s illegal in the US there is still an
issue of fins being bought and sold in the US. People are still able to import shark fins
from countries that don’t enforce acts such as the Shark Fin Sales Act. This is why a
national act to prevent shark fin sales is needed. Attempts to regulate the sale of fins is
done by shark advocate organizations that try and monitor restaurants and verify shark
soup isn’t being sold. If a group is found to be participating in the shark soup sales the
government organizations are notified and activist take to social media to boycott the
restaurant. This is a major way to take a stand to enforce the shark fin trade act.

How Communities Can Protect the Shark Population

There are many organizations around the world that advocate for the protection of
sharks and putting an end to shark hunting. Their main goal is to bring attention to the
restaurants who still sell shark fin products and locate distributors such that the
government can get involved and end the practice. Another way to help is to boycott

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restaurants and grocery retailers who carry shark meat. It isn’t just important to the
shark population but also the economy surrounding the fishing industry. This is because
as the shark population decrease the ray population increases. Ray’s prey on scallops
and clams which are a major part of the fishing economy. It’s important to protect the
sharks to keep a good balance in the ocean.

What a Trade Act Will Do for The Shark Population

Currently the trade act is in place to ban the buying and selling of shark fin products
nationwide. It isn’t fully effective for the US let alone other countries. It isn’t a very
enforced act, which means restaurants still serve shark-based products. Asian countries
especially think that giving up shark soap is very difficult and against their beliefs. A
shark fin trade act needs to be put in place worldwide. Unless this is done, there will still
be the slaughtering of sharks for monetary gain. This needs to be put to an end with a
trade act that enforces the care of the shark population. It’s important to protect the
oceans ecosystem and keep a balance between predator and prey.

Conclusion
Sharks are magnificent creatures that help maintain their ecosystem. They are not
creatures to be feared like people have often come to assume. Just because they’re
predators doesn’t mean they don’t deserve people’s protection. It is important to
advocate for those who can’t protect themselves. Banning shark hunting in the US is
one step in the right direction but it’s something that needs to be a continued effort if
it’s going to be resolved fully. The act needs to be enforced around the entire world if
there is going to be a real impact on preventing the endangerment of various types of
sharks. This can only be enforced with the people’s help.

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References
Campaign. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://usa.oceana.org/our-
campaigns/ending_the_shark_fin_trade/campaign

Fairclough, C. (2018, May 14). Shark Finning: Sharks Turned Prey. Retrieved from
http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/sharks-rays/sharrk-finning-sharks-turned-prey

Keim, B. (2010, September 23). How You Can Help Stop Shark Finning. Retrieved from
https://www.wired.com/2010/09/stop-shark-finning/