Help us ban the sale and trade of shark fins in New York.

Sharks often act as apex predators and as such they are important for controlling the population sizes and behaviors of the species they feed upon. Research on the East Coast has shown that in certain areas where sharks have been over-fished, populations of rays have blossomed leading to the collapse of shellfish fisheries, because the rays feed on the shellfish. Healthy ecosystems need to be in balance and this requires maintenance of all the levels of the food web. Instead of fearing them, we should respect them. — Dovi Kacev, a doctoral student in ecology at SDSU-UC-Davis, who is carrying out research on sharks in San Diego and Baja California.

In recent decades, overfishing and shark finning which has increased over the past decade due to the increasing demand for shark fins (for shark fin soup) have decimated populations—hundreds of millions of sharks die each year. Sharks can take 25 years to reach sexual maturity, have few young, and cannot withstand this fishing pressure. Sharks are caught in nets or on longlines, brought aboard a fishing vessel, and their fins are cut off their bodies while they're still alive. Then the sharks are thrown back in the water, but without their fins they can't swim, so they sink and drown. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Shark Specialist Group, 1/3 of all shark and ray species are now threatened with extinction. “Despite mounting threats, sharks remain virtually unprotected on the high seas,” says Sonja Fordham, Deputy Chair of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and Policy Director for the Shark Alliance. “The vulnerability and lengthy migrations of most open ocean sharks mean they need coordinated, international conservation plans. Our report documents serious overfishing of these species, in national and international waters, and demonstrates a clear need for immediate action on a global scale.” Sharks are literally being eaten into extinction during our lifetimes.

Shark fin soup first became popular in China during the 10th century due to a belief in its medicinal value. But that has subsequently been exposed as nothing more than a myth. Since they are predators at the top of the food chain, sharks ingest a good deal of harmful pollutants, including extremely toxic substances like mercury, which build up in their body tissue. A study conducted in 2001 by the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research found that 70% of shark fin dishes sampled contained extremely high levels of this hazardous element.

We know this may be hard to digest, but sharks don't eat people. Sharks take a bite because humans are mistaken for prey. Surfers paddling back to shore can sometimes resemble a seal to a shark. But even these so-called attacks are incredibly rare: You have a much higher chance of dying by being struck by lighting than by being bitten by a shark.

A swell of opposition against shark fin soup -- a traditional but increasingly controversial Chinese dish -- has gained backing from around the world. Bill AB 376 passed which makes the possession, sale and distribution of shark fins illegal in California. The luxury Shangri-La hotel chain said it would ban shark fin from all of its 72 hotels, most of which are in Asia. In Singapore, supermarket chains FairPrice and Carrefour said they would halt the sale of shark fin in outlets in the city-state. Campaigns have been launched in Hong Kong to educate children about the horrors of shark-finning and the risks it poses to the ecology.

Speak up and let the NY legislators know we need to exercise similar leadership and draft similar legislation, banning shark fins to stop an unsustainable, often illegal and inhumane world practice with far reaching ramifications. This isn't a cultural issue - it is a world issue. In doing so, you will be giving sharks a much needed chance to recover, while protecting our oceans, and all who depend upon them.

Thank You,
Shark Angels

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