Can bans on shark finning restore fisheries sanity?

Because the practice is barbaric, obviously wasteful, horrific to watch, and is due to a supposed "delicacy" that probably doesn't even taste that good, bans on shark finning and sales of shark fin are starting to spread. This might possibly mean a larger awareness of the circle of life in the oceans, the importance of top predators, and a recognition that mankind -- we, collectively -- can in indeed alter the ecosystem of the vast oceans by overconsumption.

But maybe, maybe, stepping back from the brink with regard to shark finning is a small step in the right direction. Perhaps this recognition that taking the lives of vital animals for such a profligate price is not worth it. Perhaps this will lead to seeing the light on more fisheries, such as bluefin tuna. Maybe we can learn.

I doubt it, but we have to find hope where it may exist.

Farewell to sharks (and yes, that's a bad thing) -- excellent article in Time

"Each year, fishermen kill as many as 73 million sharks, usually cutting off their fins — which are valued for shark-fin soup, a popular dish in Asia — before tossing the bloody carcasses overboard."

"Rapid economic growth in China has led to a sharp increase in demand for shark fins — which is a little peculiar since the shark-fin soup for which the animals give their lives is not all it's cracked up to be. I tried some once in the Chinese port city of Qingdao and was surprised by how thin and watery it is. But the soup isn't served for the taste. It first emerged as a delicacy in China during the Sung dynasty more than 1,000 years ago as a way for the Chinese to show off their wealth."

[And I might add the Chinese are probably to blame for the rise in rhinoceros poaching, to get that horn into "traditional medicines". Ignorance kills.]

"Hawaii has instituted a comprehensive ban on all shark-fin products, making it illegal for any person to sell or distribute anything with shark fin, and California is moving on a similar ban. (Hawaii and California have some of the largest markets for shark fin outside Asia.) On July 5, the Bahamas established new protections for sharks in the 250,000 sq. miles of ocean that surround the island,"

"A lawmaker in the National People's Congress has introduced legislation banning the trade of shark fins in China, though such laws have little chance of passage now. But prominent Chinese have begun to speak out for sharks — most notably NBA star Yao Ming, who has pledged never to eat shark-fin soup — and there are signs of a dawning conservation movement among younger Chinese."

STOP THE MADNESS