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leandraholmesSome of you have read my fanfic Beneath the Surface and therefore already know that I'm crazy about sharks. To those of you who have and haven't I'd like to ask you for just two minutes of your time.
I would like you to visit SharkAlliance.org and sign the petition to ban shark finning in the European Union. So far, it only has around 22,000 signatures which is still far from enough.
Every year, several million (25-100, according to rough estimates) sharks are being killed mainly for their fins to be sold to mostly East Asian countries for shark fin soup. Most often the sharks are being pulled out of the water alive, their fins cut off and the bodies thrown back into the ocean to die. Several countries and some US states have already banned this custom and even any kind of trade with shark fins, but Europe still lags behind.
If you need more reasons for why you should engage in shark conservation, here are a few facts.
- Sharks are apex predators in all oceans. They are of crucial importance for the balance of the oceans' ecosystems. In many areas, the population of many shark species have already declined by 95-97%, and several shark species are critically endangered. The Great White, for example, is now as endangered as the Bengal Tiger.
- Shark finning is a cruel and horrid custom. Imagine someone would cut off your arms and legs and leave you to die somewhere. The fishers do this so they can transport more fins (on the market, up to 250 € are being paid for one pound of shark fins). The proposition for a change of law by the EU would make this custom illegal, forcing fishermen to present the entire shark body, intact instead of just the fins.
- Shark fins have no taste. They only add a gelatinous texture to shark fin soup, which is mainly being eaten in China at banquets and weddings. It's a tradition that symbolizes wealth and a certain status in society, nothing more. For more info on this and the other connected topics watch Gordon Ramsay's Shark Bait.
Please spread the word. Don't ask if you simply want to copy what I have written here; I'd be more than thankful for anyone who re-posts this!
I would like you to visit SharkAlliance.org and sign the petition to ban shark finning in the European Union. So far, it only has around 22,000 signatures which is still far from enough.
Every year, several million (25-100, according to rough estimates) sharks are being killed mainly for their fins to be sold to mostly East Asian countries for shark fin soup. Most often the sharks are being pulled out of the water alive, their fins cut off and the bodies thrown back into the ocean to die. Several countries and some US states have already banned this custom and even any kind of trade with shark fins, but Europe still lags behind.
If you need more reasons for why you should engage in shark conservation, here are a few facts.
- Sharks are apex predators in all oceans. They are of crucial importance for the balance of the oceans' ecosystems. In many areas, the population of many shark species have already declined by 95-97%, and several shark species are critically endangered. The Great White, for example, is now as endangered as the Bengal Tiger.
- Shark finning is a cruel and horrid custom. Imagine someone would cut off your arms and legs and leave you to die somewhere. The fishers do this so they can transport more fins (on the market, up to 250 € are being paid for one pound of shark fins). The proposition for a change of law by the EU would make this custom illegal, forcing fishermen to present the entire shark body, intact instead of just the fins.
- Shark fins have no taste. They only add a gelatinous texture to shark fin soup, which is mainly being eaten in China at banquets and weddings. It's a tradition that symbolizes wealth and a certain status in society, nothing more. For more info on this and the other connected topics watch Gordon Ramsay's Shark Bait.
Please spread the word. Don't ask if you simply want to copy what I have written here; I'd be more than thankful for anyone who re-posts this!
