Shark schmark - why should we care?
Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:44 pm – Posted by Kirstie_Knowles | 4 Comments
Why is it that a picture of a cute and cuddly kiwi or a doe-eyed dolphin gets a response, yet animals pre-dating our most ancient of species – the tuatara – get completely ignored?
Sharks are the living dinosaurs of our seas. Originating long before dinosaurs arrived, sharks are among our top predators and act as key regulators of life in our seas. They are incredibly shy and have developed as slow growing species, living long lives and producing few young – all traits that make them highly vulnerable to overfishing and habitat loss.
The practice of shark finning – removing the highly priced fins and discarding the rest of the body at sea – has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. It is now estimated that over 100 million sharks are killed annually worldwide and that shark populations globally are in decline.
While many countries have banned the practice of shark finning, New Zealand has not – choosing only to prohibit ‘live’ finning on the basis it is cruel. And it is! It’s very cruel. Yet despite the ban, online video footage and ongoing anecdotal reports prove that live finning of New Zealand sharks is alive and healthy.
A total of 112 species of shark have been recorded in New Zealand waters, 70 of which are caught in our fisheries and only one of which is protected – the great white shark. It is ironic really that it is the great white or white pointer that centred in possibly the most devastating film ever made about sharks. “Jaws” and its sequels have had a disastrous effect on shark conservation efforts, altering public perception of these shy and highly vulnerable species to one of blood-thirsty human-eating monsters.
Why is it we are happy to leave sharks to the hands of butchers – and support them in doing so?
I was gobsmacked to learn the we allow sharkfinning in New Zealand. I was under the misapprehension the we lived in a (relatively) civilised, (relatively) green country.
Anderton must be kidding himself if he believes that live finning doesn’t happen. He’s not that dumb!
Hello - Thank you for giving me the opportunity of saying how I feel about the destruction of sharks in our beautiful NZ waters. Am rather ignorant about the life of the shark but having just seen the BBC film ‘EARTH’ here in Te Awamutu I feel that I have learned something. The balance of sea life seems to be very relevant to the shark being at the top of the list in keeping the ocean healthy. It was explained that our weather comes from the ocean. It would be great if there could be some discussion regading this.
The extent of the destruction of our marine environment and how we hide under the banner of a ‘green NZ’ is very sad. Sharks are the pinnacle of the battle to save a planet, let alone sharks themselves. Complacency and ’she’ll’ be right will get us all in the end. The saddest thing for me is that these wonderfully beautiful creatures called ‘Sharks’ will be gone in my lifetime… all the wonder and beauty and power they have and, of course, the balance they have brought to our oceans, will also be gone.
Don’t know how I came upon this site, just watched the video and it nauseated me to see how cruel humanity is. Not sure we deserve to inhabit this beautiful planet. Good Luck to all the beautiful people, and I hope there is truly a day of reckoning for those that deserve retribution of the harshest kind………….