Shark finning is a cruel and wasteful practice where the fins of the shark are cut off, often while it is still alive, and the shark is tossed overboard to sink to the ocean floor and suffer a slow death either by suffocation or loss of blood. Because shark fins have a much higher value in the Asian market than shark meat, shark fishermen wastefully discard the rest of the shark and keep only the fins.

Shark finning is illegal in many countries and many shark species such as the great white shark and the whale shark are protected around the world. However, illegal shark finning still goes on globally and fishing boats travel from as far as Taiwan to South America in search of the lucrative cargo of shark fin, sometimes even dropping longlines in marine protected areas such as the Cocos Islands in Costa Rica, as seen in the movie Sharkwater.

Due to the immense level of shark exploition, shark populations have dropped drastically over the last thirty years. Already 18 species of sharks have been listed as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an example being the scalloped hammerhead sharks, who have declined by over 95%.

It takes some species of sharks up to 15 years to reach sexual maturity and they have very few young at a time. The incredible demand for shark fin means that mature adults are wiped out and young sharks are not given the opportunity to grow to reproductive age before they too are killed. It is easy to see how this is destroying shark populations worldwide.

Contrary to common belief, sharks are not vicious man-eating monsters. For every attack on a human, more than four million sharks are killed by us. In fact, more people are killed by chairs, toasters, kites and vending machines each year than by sharks. Sharks do not like the taste of human flesh (they prefer fatty seal meat) and most shark attacks are a case of mistaken identity (where they think we’re seals or dolphins).

Sharks are important custodians of the marine ecosystem. As keystone apex predators, they regulate the populations of all marine species below them in the food chain. When we remove sharks in such astronomical numbers we risk the collapse of the balance of the ocean, which will have dire consequences. By looking after sharks, we look after the oceans and our future as well.

Shark fin itself has no flavour and is often bleached in the preparation process. Shark fins and meat also contain very high levels of mercury which are known to cause nervous disorders, kidney failure and infertility. Tests on shark fin sold in Hong Kong showed ten times the permitted level of mercury and the World Health Organization has recommended that it be avoided by pregnant women and children as it could cause permanent brain disorders.

Sharks are amazing creatures who have been in the ocean for 400 million years, yet in a mere lifetime we have managed to drive them to the brink of extinction. Right now, pristine dive sites such as Sipadan and the Great Barrier Reef are being threatened by shark fishing boats. As divers, the ambassadors of the oceans, we need to be educated and spread the word about the foolishness of shark fin consumption. Please say “NO” to shark fin.

Get more information on sharks and shark fin at these websites

• Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
• The Shark Trust
• Sharkwater
• WildAid