[RE] Shark Fins

As a former APES student, I feel that Nathan's feelings towards the banning of shark fin soup in California are a bit ignorant. Governor Brown did the right thing by banning the possession and sale of shark fins in California. Shark finning is a big problem in Asia, and the last thing we need is for this practice to occur off the coast of our own shores. Granted, people in Asia are probably killing more sharks than in the United States, but the finning of sharks needs to be ended.

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When sharks are finned, they have no means of living. The practice of finning sharks is extremely inhumane. When the sharks are caught by fishermen, the fins are cut off of the shark and it is pushed back into the ocean to die. Without being able to swim, these sharks are not able to get the oxygen they need to survive. Imagine if you were put in that position; your arms and legs are cut off and you can't move and are forced to drown...

I am an American born Chinese and have had shark fin soup before, but it isn't the best type of soup that can be made. Shark fin soup is tasteless and many people will agree. Yes, tradition is important, but I feel that ends do not justify the means. In other words, this simple chinese soup is not worth the decimation of the shark population. The total population of sharks around the world has declined by almost 90% because of shark finning.  Furthermore, it is possible to find a substitute for shark fin with something else such as clear vermicelli noodles.

Banning the whole shark is the same as banning only the fins because other than the fins, humans have no use for sharks. The body of a shark consists mainly of cartilege; the fins that are used to make soup are a softer cartilege. This ban should not be considered racist because only the fins are banned. In reality, the whole shark is being banned, but specifically the fins due to the practice of finning sharks.

Shark fins are sought after because of supply and demand. California has two large Chinatown bases: San Francisco and Oakland. Both of these places have a high demand of shark fins for soup, and when shark fins become illegal in California, the demand will lessen. Thus, making a significant dent in the practice of shark finning. It is a small step in the right direction for man kind. If this practice is not ended soon, then sharks may become extinct because of humans which could change the fish population around the world. We, as humans, need to be more responsible about our fishing practices, and shark finning is one of them. If we don't change our ways, our children and our children's children may never know what a shark is.